Pokemon: The Rocky Saga
by ZombiePossum13
Summary: In a dystopian future, a young, kleptomaniac anti-hero named Rocky stumbles upon a Pokemon with a shady past thus beginning his path to greatness; a path paved with action, femme fatals, ruthless criminals, and dangerous secrets. Follow Rocky throughout this epic saga as he struggles to make a name for himself in a world of corruption and find the answers to the past.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The eight year old boy sat high above the ground on the steel structure of a half completed building. It was supposed to have been a fancy office building overlooking the Goldenrod City Bay, but its construction was halted when the company the building would have housed went under with the stock market crash years before. All that was left was the abandon construction site on the side of the heavily polluted bay.

But the boy loved the spot. It was the spot he'd hide from the world. His childish fantasies of fame and fortune seemed much more realistic when he was a hundred feet off the ground and staring at the blazing sunset. His messy brown hair ruffled in the sea breeze like a lion cub's mane while his bright brown eyes had an ambitious gleam.

Few people knew the boy's real name, though the nickname 'Rocky' has stuck with him all his life.

With his cheap and beat up radio, Rocky listened to the commentary of the Inter-Regional Pokemon League Tournament. "It's been an intense and breathtaking tournament so far this evening. Now, as the sun sets, the first round of the semifinals with Trainer Ethan Blackwell of Fuchsia City versus Trainer Alexander Ramirez of Cainwood City."

Suddenly, Rocky's attention was torn away from his radio. Below, in the perilous construction site, conflict was brewing. Two groups on motorcycles and ATVs roared into the lot, halted on either side of cement drainage ditch leading to the bay.

Rocky, being raised in slums during tough economic times, was streetwise enough to recognize the two parties as rival street gangs and was also smart enough to know that he shouldn't be seen by them. Quickly, he started climbing down the metal structure. When he reached the ground, his initial instinct was to hop on his rusty bike a ride back home, but his curiosity got the better of him. Due to his lack of height, he was not noticed as he darted through the decrepit construction sight and hid behind a rusty and broken down bulldozer, half buried in the gravel and dirt. Then, from his hiding spot, Rocky peaked at the two gangs. He easily identified the two leaders as they antagonized each other on either side of the ditch.

"Good evening Jimmy! It seems that there is some confusion about which one of our turfs this construction sight belongs to. Perhaps we can clear up this misunderstanding." An imposing teenage boy taunted.

The other gang's leader replied, with equal mockery, "Yes, we sincerely apologize for the confusion. We had thought that we made it perfectly clear that this lovely piece of bayside real-estate belongs to the Southside Boys."

"Au contraire; it _belonged_ to the Southside Boys. It is now the headquarters of The Goldenrod Wildflowers, so get the hell out of here before I hop across this ditch and kick your punk-ass." The leader of the notoriously ruthless Goldenrod Wildflowers threatened.

Jimmy, the leader of the Southside boys, scoffed and retorted, "Seriously? A fistfight? What are we, five years old?" As he drew a red and white Pokeball from his belt.

"Oh, so that's how you want to settle it? Okay, cool." The Alpha of the Goldenrod Wildflowers agreed as he displayed his own Pokeball. "Nobody wants a huge gang fight that might attract the attention of the cops, so let's keep the battle between you and me."

Rocky no longer cared for the Inter-Regional Pokemon League Tournament as he was about to witness a more intense battle, with a front row seat opposed to a radio. But suddenly a hand grabbed Rocky by his jacket and threw him to the ground.

"Hey, this little runt is spying on us." A brute yelled, attracting the attention of both gangs.

"Hey bro, take it easy. I just wanted to watch the show." Rocky reasoned, shakily, as he started to stand up.

"Punk, don't talk to me like I'm one of your homeboys!" The thug barked as he pushed the eight year old boy back to the ground with his foot.

"Think he might rat us out to the police?" Another gang member asked.

"Hell no, I ain't no snitch!" Rocky bellowed.

"Shut up, kid!" The second gang member yelled.

Suddenly, two more gang members appeared. To Rocky's surprise, they were twin girls, only slightly older than he was.

"No." Said one of the twins. "He's not going to squeal to the police."

"Yeah, because you're not that dumb, are you?" The other asked Rocky as she pulled out a switch-blade and waved it in Rocky's face. "Because we'll cut you up real bad if you tell anyone that the Flowers are conducting business by the bay. Now run home to your mommy you little runt."

Rocky then ran as fast as he could, unable to go back for his bike or his radio for it would risk further danger from the gangs.

As Rocky put a few blocks between himself and the construction site, he slowed to a fast walk. Most eight year old children would be frightened half to death after being threatened by a street gang. But Rocky wasn't most children. He wasn't scared or intimidated. He was angry. Angry about being pushed around, put in place, and most of all, about being unable to do anything about it. But as he returned home that night, Rocky made a vow; a promise to himself: to become powerful so he wouldn't be pushed around by anyone. He swore that he would rise up out of the slums. He swore that he'd create his own future. Rocky vowed to one day be the best.


	2. Chapter 1: The Deal

_Hello readers! You may recognize this story. I had previously published it under the title 'Pokemon: Offspring of Ambition'. After removing it, I decided to republish it after editing the whole thing to make it more consistent and realistic. If you have read my previous incarnation of this story, then I hope you enjoyed the new prologue. Now, without further ado, I give you:_

**___Part One: Rocky Begins_**

**Chapter One: The Deal**

"Today's the day. I'm going to do it." Thirteen year old Rocky said to his best friend, Classico, as he sat down next to him on the crowded high school cafeteria table. He ran his fingers through his mane of spiky brown hair as he grinned smugly.

Classico groaned with annoyance. "No don't tell me… We've been through this a thousand times before. It's a bad idea!"

Classico was about to reply but then two upperclassmen got in a Pokemon battle There were bright flashes of red light as they released their Pokemon.

"Go Beedrill!" Said one as he sent out a dangerous looking bee Pokemon.

"Go Nidorino!" Said the other as he sent out a purple rhinoceros like Pokemon.

"Nidorino- Horn Attack!" The Pokemon charged at Beedrill but the yellow and black Pokemon was faster. A loud buzzing noise filled the cafeteria as it hovered out of range causing Nidorino's attack to miss. Instead he crashed into the cinderblock wall with a loud crack. The Beedrill took advantage of this and launched its Twin Missile attack. Two poisonous spikes shot through the air and impacted the discombobulated Nidorino. The purple Pokemon dropped to the ground.

"What? No! You must have cheated 'cause my Nidoran has an outstanding defense and could not be taken down by one move." The not-so-proud owner of the defeated Nidoran ranted.

"Well, then you must be a complete fool to not see it. Twin Missile is a bug attack and super-effective against poison Pokemon of which your weak Nidorino is." The victor of the battle replied smugly.

"Weak!?" The loser screamed, outraged, as he swung his punch at his opponent. The jock caught the punch and then pushed the owner of the Nidorino to the ground with one hand.

"You're as weak as your Pokemon." He sneered. Almost everyone in the cafeteria laughed as the defeated and humiliated boy got up and ran off.

The winner of the battle was one of the most popular kids in the school. His name is Arby Jones. He was tall, buffed up, captain of the school football team, and as far as he was concerned, God.

He had about twenty different girlfriends at a single time, some of them smart enough to do his homework for them so he got good grades. His parents were board executives for some corporation so he was rich and had plenty of Pokemon to show off as well as plenty of skill. As much as Rocky hated the stuck-up, he was even more jealous of him. For Rocky most of his time in school daydreaming through the classes about obtaining a Pokemon of his own and then fighting his way to the top. To Rocky, a Pokemon was the means to achieve an escape from his status as poor high school loser. And on that day, Rocky intended to use all the money he's saved up for the last few years to buy a Pokemon.

"That twit! He thinks he could break the school rules and get away with it. No unauthorized Pokemon battling- is that rules really that hard to follow?" Classico ranted.

"Apparently that arrogant snob does think he can get away with it and he's one-hundred percent correct. But just wait until I get a Pokemon and start battling. I'll show him that he can't get away with treating everyone like dirt!" Rocky vowed.

Classico rolled his eyes and was about to tell Rocky to ignore arrogant snobs like Arby until someone asked, "Say what shrimp?"

They didn't even notice Arby accompanied by his usual harem of girlfriends standing right in front of them.

"Erm… I was saying that watching you battle is a real inspiration to get a Pokemon of my own and start training and…um… you make everyone look like dirt with you awesome skill." Rocky replied, trying to avoid trouble.

Arby appeared to buy it. He grinned and asked, "And how does a little slum dog like you plan to acquire a Pokemon?"

Classico interjected. "Rocky, he is right. With more and more crimes and terrorism being perpetrated with the use of Pokemon the government has very strict policies for adoption of Pokemon."

"Who asked you, nerd? I'll bet a dead light bulb has more ambition than you." Arby sneered as his girlfriends laughed. Classico scowled but said nothing.

"Cassico has a point but I hope I don't give the impression that I particularly care about the laws. Legal or illegal, I want to get a Pokemon." Rocky told Arby as he stood up to face him.

Arby grin spread even wider. "I like that attitude. And I can help you."

"Seriously? Okay, let's talk business." Rock replied, now very excited.

Classico jumped up and warned, "You're breaking the law-" But was cut off as Arby took a step closer to Rocky and pushed Classico away.

"Hold up, bro. What I got ain't cheap. But what do you have in mind." Arby asked.

"I spent a while thinking about it and I want a Growlithe; that is, if it's included in your product selection. They're strong, loyal, and dependable- exactly what I want in a Pokemon." Rocky replied, realizing that his dreams were coming true.

"I do happen to have a Growlithe for sale. Normally I'd sell it for ten thousand Poke but since I'm in a good mood today, I'll give you a fifty percent discount." Arby offered.

"Sound's good. I've been saving up. When can we make the exchange?" Rocky, agreed, trying to keep his cool.

"Whenever I can see the money." Arby told him as he took a very beat up looking Pokeball out of one of his girlfriend's backpacks. "This Growlithe is yours to keep." He held the old Pokeball in front of Rocky's face.

Rocky took a wad of cash tied together with a rubber band out of a secret pocket sewed into the inside of his navy blue hoodie.

"Here you go. Five thousand poke." Rocky handed the stack of bills to Arby, then snatched the Pokeball.

"Pleasure doing business with you." Rocky gave a slight bow before storing the Pokeball in his backpack.

"No. The pleasure is mine…." Arby replied ominously before strutting away.

"You freaking idiot!" Classico yelled.

"What's your problem. I think you're just jealous that he didn't make an offer to you." Rocky told Classico.

To his surprise, Classico gave a cold laugh. "No. Actually, next week is my birthday and that is when I receive my first Pokemon- Legally!"

"I don't have parents that actually give a rats ass about me or have there sh*t together enough to legally buy me a Pokemon. A guys gotta do what a guys gotta do." Rocky defended himself, shrugging as he held his hands out to the side.

"You're a horrible business man. For all you know, Arby just ripped you off. I think that you should report this to Pokemon Police as illegal Pokemon trafficking." Classico suggested.

"I'm sick of always going by the rules. Nobody gets anywhere by going by the laws and rules set in place by an oppressive society. Those at the top make rules that keep them at the top and people like me at the bottom. But no longer will I bow to the proxy whims and standards of others." Rocky made quite a dramatic speech.

"Then you are no better than Team Rocket, corrupt politicians, selfish and greedy corporations, and other crime syndicates that make this world so corrupt. Next week, after I turn fourteen, I am leaving school and entering the Pokemon Police academy. My obligation is to stop people like you from making the world any worse." Classico spat as the two members of the ending friendship stomped off in opposite directions to their classes.

The day seemed to fly by for Rocky. He spent day dreaming about his Growlithe and how he would start training it. _Arby made the wrong move by selling me this Growlithe. 'Cause he is at the top of my hit list. _Rocky thought deviously.

Rocky finally tore out of the front doors to the school. Then he sprinted home. He lived in the old apartment building about a mile from the school. When he got there, he ran up the twisty stairs because the elevator didn't work.

After that he tore like hell down the hall way until he reached the apartment door. Then he unlocked the door and closed it after entering the tiny apartment. The apartment had a kitchen, a dining/sitting room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. One bedroom was for his stepfather and his mother and the other was occupied by Rocky and his little brother, Ted.

Nobody was home at the moment since Rocky's step father was at work and his mother was picking up Ted from daycare so she wouldn't be home for another half hour.

Out the window, a bolt of lightening flashed. The sky was dark with heavy clouds. Rocky admired the storm from the window that overlooked the street below and leveled with the building across from it. The town looked terrible with trash littered everywhere, hobos wondering the streets, and beat up old cars parked everywhere. Not to mention the disgusting smell of city pollution.

"Time to touch fame." Rocky announced to himself as he took out the beat up Pokeball. He had learned to use Pokeballs from years of watching tournaments on TV.

He pressed down on the lock. The Pokeball expanded from the sized of a ping-pong ball to the size of a base ball. Then he dropped the Pokeball and it opened up. A blinded red light shot out and formed a shape. Then it began to materialize.

Rocky didn't seem to register what he was seeing. Because he was not seeing what he wanted to see. He didn't see a Growlithe. The Pokemon that he bought with the money he saved up over the course of about a year, was not the Pokemon that he paid for. It wasn't even healthy. The thing was nearly dead, obviously surviving off of the life support systems of the Pokeball. There were cuts and bruises and missing patches of fur covering its tiny body. And apparently it wasn't ready to be released from the life support systems just yet. Its breathing slowed.

Rocky just couldn't believe, he just couldn't accept, that the Pokemon he worked so hard for was not a Growlithe. He just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that life had cheated and deceived him so badly. Not only was it not a Growlithe but it was dying. And yet Rocky felt no hatred for the dying Pokemon that didn't even appear to be full grown.

Out of anguish, Rocky let out a moan and dropped to his knees. Then he just stared into the eyes of the dying…_ Sentret._


	3. Chapter 2: Descent into Ambition

**Chapter 2: Decent into Ambition**

The storm outside took a turn for the worst and the wind howled while dangerous bolts of lightening stuck the Goldenrod Ghetto. Rocky had never in his entire life been so distraught. _I should just die along side the Pokemon that I was tricked into buying. I've basically killed it by taking it out of its life support systems._

_Why?_ He asked for the fifth time. The Sentret's breathing was growing fainter as its life ran out. He reached out and touched the unhealthy brown and white pelt of the tiny squirrel-like Pokemon. At that moment, Rocky saw through the window that a bolt of lightening struck the building across the street. Sparks flew and bright lights flashed as a grandiose form took place. It was ebullient with energy. A Rocky stared at it, wondering if it were real. Though he examined the figure, he just couldn't seem to register the features; it was simply to bright. Rocky could feel the energy waves flowing off it. He felt uneasy, like he would break down into pieces at any minute.

Panic erupted inside Rocky as the majestic creature on the rooftop across from Rocky's apartment building, leaped through the cold stormy air and then dematerialized into a bolt of electricity as it went right through the window, inside the apartment. It struck Rocky, knocking him unconscious. But not before he felt an amazing energy within himself and somehow felt it within the Sentret.

A door slammed shut loudly but it seemed so distant. "Rocky!" A women's voice called. Rocky's eyes opened. _Hot damn!_ He thought. _Whatever that thing was, it didn't kill me. _Then he thought, _Oh sh*t where f*ck is that Sentret._

"Rocky, what are you doing on the floor?" He heard his mother ask, not at all concern. "And why the hell is the window broken?" She asked infuriated.

"Your father is going to kill you!" She hollered at him, staring at the damaged living room.

"That pig isn't my father." Rocky growled at his mother, looking her in the eyes. Rocky surprised himself with his own defiance.

His mother swung a backhanded slap at him. Rocky ducked as he stormed away. His mother realized that Rocky was outside her control so she would have to wait for he husband to get home from work.

Ted stared as Rocky slammed the door to his bedroom. Then Rocky sat on the bed and realized what a severe beating his stepfather was going to give him. But as he calmed himself and examined his options and the day's events, he felt another presence in the tiny room.

He got off the bed and then knelt down and looked underneath it. He heard a squeak and saw a tiny, furry body. It was the Sentret. It's condition's were stabilized for now but it was still dangerously unhealthy.

_Arby sold you to me. Was he the cruel bastard who did this to you?_ Rocky thought as he stared at the scars and bruises covering the Pokemon.

Minutes turned into hours as Rocky stroked the Sentret's filthy fur and fed the baby Pokemon all of the snacks he keeps in his room for when he's grounded.

Rocky's heart skipped a beat as the door to the apartment slammed again and he heard a gruff voice bellow, "WHERE IS THAT UNGRATEFUL LITTLE PUNK?!"

Rocky opened up the door to his bedroom to face his step father.

He was a large, beefy man with a bald head a goatee.

"I can explain why the window is broken. It was this critter right here." Rocky replied as he held up the Sentret.

"OOOOH! A normal Pokemon." Eight year old Ted observed. Ted was a chubby cheeked, adorable, little kid. And he had a strange passion for Normal Type Pokemon. "And why the hell were you passed out on the floor. It seems to me that you were either drinking or doing drugs, and in your intoxication, you broke the window." His step father accused, taking a step towards Rocky.

"What? I wasn't passed out. I was on the floor because I was checking under the couches for this Sentret that busted through the window." Rocky replied with his skill for thinking up lies on the spot.

"Well go get my favorite wiping belt because you still need punishment for trash-talking me and disrespecting your mother." Rocky's abusive step father threatened.

"What should I do with this thing?" Rocky asked, not at all worried about the upcoming whipping.

"Get rid of it- now. Kill it so it won't come back." The intimidating man ordered in a tone of voice that suggest Rocky should've planned on doing so anyway.

"NO! Don't kew it." Ted whined in his babyish voice that he hadn't grown out of.

When his step father turned to get his favorite belt, Rocky ended Ted's sobbing by winking at him as he carried the Sentret out the door. As he walked through the dark hallway of the apartment building, Rocky discovered that the Sentret was too weak to do much of anything except breathing and keeping its beating heart going.

Rocky then descended the tiled staircase and stopped at the entrance to a ventilation shaft. He set the Sentret down and then ripped the grate off. Then he took of his jacket, wrapped the Sentret in it, let it sip some water like the baby it was out of a water bottle, then placed it in the vent, before replacing the grate .

Then he walked back up the stairs to his apartment bracing himself for a beating, but to his relief, found that his step-father had forgotten about everything and was on the couch watching TV while sipping a beer.

The next morning Rocky climbed out of bed. He smiled as he saw Ted, snoring. _5:30_, his watch read. School didn't start for another two hours but Rocky some things to do.

He gabbed his backpack, the old Pokeball that the Sentret came in (which didn't work after Rocky released Sentret), and the last of his money. Then he prayed to any gods that existed that his Sentret was still alive. He had gotten up in the middle of the night twice, just to go and check on it.

_Please be alive! _Rocky though to himself as he opened the vent. The faint breathing told Rocky that any gods that exist are also awake at that ungodly hour.

He placed the Sentret, still wrapped in his jacket, in his backpack and continued down the stairs and out of the ancient apartment building. Then he walked down the block at a brisk pace until he reached a pay phone.

Rocky fed the pay phone the last of his money, then dialed Classico's number.

"Hello, this is Terry speaking?" A voice answered that sounded too cheerful for somebody awake at a quarter to six in the morning.

"Erm… Yo, uh…sorry to disturb you this early-" Rocky began to say.

"Oh, not at all. I have to be at the Police Station for work at six thirty anyway." _Okay, this must be Classico's brother. _

"Can I talk to Classico. I'm a friend of his from school." Rocky requested. "Oh sure. Yep, the early bird is awake right now. Hey, Classico, a friend of yours wants to talk to you."

"Hello…" A voice answered cautiously.

"Hey, it's me, Rocky. First, I'd like to apologize about yesterday. You ended up being right anyway. I got ripped off." Rocky told his friend.

"Apology accepted. But why couldn't you just tell me this in school?" Classico asked curiously.

"Because I need your help. How soon can you meet me at school?" Rock asked impatiently.

"In fifteen minutes. Why?" Classico answered.

"'Cause I got something that will interest you." Rock replied discreetly before the pay phone ran out of minutes.

"For another minute please insert 5 Poke." The machine bargained. "No thanks." Rocky replied as he started sprinting down the street to his school.

When he finally got there Classico was already waiting. "What do you want to show me?" He asked nervously. "This is what Arby sold me." Rocky replied as he gently removed Sentret from his backpack.

"I-is that a Sentret?" Classico asked, incredulously. "Yup." Rocky confirmed, solemnly. "This is enough to get Arby in some serious trouble." Classico schemed.

"No it isn't." Rocky contradicted. "I'm sure his parents could afford a kick-ass lawyer."

"Damn, your right." Classico cursed.

"This Pokemon is dying. I know that you're in the advance PokePhysics class so you have access to the lab. Can you give me a general inspection of Sentret."

Classico thought about it. "Fine. Follow me." He agreed. The pair traveled through the halls and into one of the locked labs. After unlocking it, Classico, followed by Rocky walked inside. It was a large room fill with outdated machinery and research technology.

"Let me see it." Classico ordered. After ten careful minutes of studying the Sentret he took off the rubber gloves. "Well?" Rocky demanded.

"If you don't get this Pokemon some more specialized help, it will be dead within a week." Classico informed his friend.

"No sh*t, Holmes. What else can you tell me?" Rocky asked impatiently.

"He is a male, approximately five weeks old, and has taken some serious abuse. And the scary part is that this kind of abuse isn't normal."

"Waddya mean?" Rocky asked, now very interested.

"I found some industrial chemicals inside his blood and he has been slightly mutated by them. I can't give you any more info than that because I'm not quite sure. And I ran some of these chemicals through the database. Only three out of seventeen of them show up."

"What the f…" Rocky muttered before asking, "What about the cuts and bruises?" "From what I can tell, they were inflicted by other Pokemon." Classico informed Rocky.

"I also found some irregularities that don't appear to be caused by any chemical induced mutations." Classico lectured. "Such as?"

"I can't explain it. This Sentret's DNA is only 99.3% similar to a normal Sentret and whatever caused this change is 100% unnatural." Classico said.

"This is scaring me. Can you think of an explanation?" Rocky asked.

"Yes. This Sentret is a subject of corporate research. Illegal corporate research to be specific." Classico, said grimly. They were silent for a moment.

"Holy sh*t!" Rocky exclaimed.

"What?" Classico asked.

"Aren't Arby's parents on the board of directors for some corporation?" Rocky asked. "Yes. A mammoth firm called PokeCorp. And my brother, Terry, always suspected that Industry of conducting unorthodox research, breaking trade regulations, and bribing public officials."

They were silent for another moment until Rocky grabbed his Sentret and placed it back in his backpack.

"What are you doing?" Classico asked. "I have to get my Sentret to a Pokemon Center." Rocky replied.

"Let me take it. Then I can take it to the police-" Rocky cut Classico off.

"NO! This is my Pokemon, I will take it to the Pokemon Center!" Rocky bellowed.

"No you can't. First- Pokemon Centers now cost money. Two- you have to display a registration card for each Pokemon and you also have to have your Pokemon ownership license." Classico pointed out.

"Who said I was going to do this legally?" Rocky asked as he turned away.

"You're being an idiot Rocky! Why do you want such a weak Pokemon anyway. It will be much better off in specialized hands." Classico yelled.

Rocky turned back around. "I can't explain it. I just feel a connection to this Sentret. I don't care if it is weak right now. I can train it and nurse it back to health. I will put every last bit of effort and work with tireless energy to do so."

"Rocky-"

"Get the hell out of my face. Starting now, I will go by no other rules but my own! I will govern myself! And nobody will tell me what to do, least of all: YOU!" Rocky screamed before running out of the school.

Classico followed him but stopped at the doorway. "You're talking like you were talking yesterday, before you bought that dying Sentret. You're a fool and you're just going to keep screwing up if you're going to give into ambition!" Classico yelled after Rocky.


	4. Chapter 3: Out of the Slums

**Chapter 3: Out of the Slums  
**

Rocky sat on the roof of a old warehouse across the street from the school. He looked down on the thousands of students that attended the overpopulated building. Rocky found himself enjoying the position. It wasn't looking down on the rest of the world, it was the freedom he felt by throwing away the rules and laws. He liked the freedom.

But Rocky also felt stressed from his Sentret's condition. He buried himself in his thoughts and schemes to break into a Pokemon center.

_Okay, I can easily break into the Pokemon Center, but I need the help of a nurse since she'll know how to heal Pokemon. But a nurse isn't going to help me because I don't have a Pokemon Ownership License and a Domesticated Pokemon Registration Card for Sentret so then I'll have to force a nurse to heal Sentret. _For about an hour Rocky sat on the roof, clutching the Sentret as he thought of plans to save him.

_What is this connection I feel to you. It is almost as if my thoughts are yours and I can feel your suffering._ Rocky observed. He acknowledged that Classico was right and the smart thing to do would be to turn the Sentret over to the Police where it would receive proper treatment. But Rocky just couldn't bring himself to give up his Pokemon.

Finally, Rocky climbed through the warehouse and out into the streets, then he continued home where he would gather supplies. He knew that he would have the apartment to himself since it was a Friday and his step-father was at work, Ted was at school, and his mother was at her part time job as a waitress.

When he entered the empty apartment, he gathered the things he needed, but as he was leaving, he heard a sneeze from the bedroom.

Cautiously, he entered to find Ted blowing his nose in bed. "What are you going here?" Rocky asked, surprised.

"Mmmpf, I'm sick." Ted replied, trying to get sympathy. "Mom just left you home alone?" Rocky asked angrily. There was generally a lot of crime in the hood so Rocky actually felt relieved that he came home.

Without warning, Sentret struggled out of his backpack. Ted saw this and was flabbergasted. "Yeah, I just couldn't kill it." Rocky told Ted, perfectly confident that he could trust his little brother.

"Aw you going ta take care 'o him?" Ted asked, curiously.

"Yep. I really like this Pokemon. You're a walking encyclopedia on Normal Type Pokemon. Can you tell me anything about Sentrets?" Rocky asked.

Ted explained in his babyish voice, a bunch of info about Sentret, but the only part that Rocky understood was that they evolve into a long bodied Pokemon called "Furret". "In layman's lingo por favor." Rocky requested. "Wats wayman wingo?" Ted asked.

"It's when you're talking to someone that knows nothing about normal Pokemon so you need talk in a way that they could understand." Rocky replied.

"Okway. Sentwets wike to eat bewies, nuts, and chocwate." Ted told him. "They like to eat berries, nuts, and chocolate." Rocky repeated.

After learning some useful stuff about them, such as that an adolescent Sentret would need high calcium milk so that their bones develop properly and throughout their life they require a lot of vitamin C.

After thanking his little brother, Rocky ran out the door.

It was night. 10:30, Rocky's cheap wrist watch said. He would have been exhausted if he didn't just drink a liter Cappuccino from StaryuBucks. This was the first time Rocky had ever been in the northern corporate district of Goldenrod City. It was very heavily patrolled by police. The Corporations paid big bucks to have their turf of the city well guarded from the poverty in Southside Goldenrod.

The magnet train that went from Goldenrod to Saffron City seemed to act as a wall to keep the anarchic ghetto from infecting the upper half of the city. After avoiding patrols and the electrified tracks, Rocky managed to get into the Corporate district. Many kids at school referred to Southside Goldenrod as No Mans Land while the northern side that Rocky entered, earned the nickname, Rich Man's Land.

It was very unusual to Rocky. The streets were cleaned, the buildings were brand new and well kept, there was cop accompanied by a Growlithe on every corner, and there wasn't a hobo in sight. It was a whole new world for Rocky.

But Rocky saw through the lies. He saw the injustice. The land he traveled through was full of bountiful wealth that was being kept from the other side of the city. As he walked past a department store with a window so polished that it reflected light, Rocky noticed something. Himself.

Rocky saw that he no longer walked with a self-conscious, casual, and cautious gait. He walked with a confident strut but not cocky and off guard. His brown eyes were no longer dull with apathy but they were bright and gleaming with the fiery ambition that was no longer boxed up inside Rocky's conscious. _Whatever that thing was yesterday… it changed me._

It then occurred to Rocky that the majestic creature he saw the previous day could have been a Pokemon._ A legendary Pokemon no doubt._ He thought. Then he came to the conclusion that he must have been hallucinating.

Rocky finally reached the Pokemon Center. The first-class facility was well guarded with security cameras and plenty of security guards with their well trained Growlithes. The building was a three story tower with a giant Pokeball on top of it. Stone steps led up to the entrance, in which two security rent-a-cops stood guard. There were also two marble statues of Chanseys on either side of the stairs.

Rocky knew that he wouldn't be able to get in through the front door but there was a back door for supplies to be delivered. He tip toed around to the back of the Pokemon center and saw an empty parking lot and another guard with a Growlithe on a leash, pacing back and fourth. The adrenaline rushed to Rocky's head and every part of him told him to turn back. But this was something he needed to do for his Sentret. Rocky began his break and entering of the Pokemon Center.


	5. Chapter 4: Breaking and Entering

**Chapter 4: Breaking and Entering**

Rocky thought of a working plan to break into the Pokemon Center so quickly. It was if he thought of a plan like that everyday.

_Okay, so I've talked the walk, now lets see if I can walk the talk._ Rocky thought as he approached the Pokemon Center after climbing out from underneath an ambulance parked at the far end of the parking lot. He had to hide in the shadows or directly in the light, behind lampposts, to avoid being seen by the guard pacing back and fourth near the back entrance.

When the guard's back was turned, Rocky leaped into the dumpster, the sound of him falling muffled by a trash bag. Ignoring the smell of the dumpster, Rocky threw a rock he found. It flew into the shadows and hit a metal trash can with a loud bang. As Rocky had hoped, the Growlithe ripped after sound, eager to maim an intruder.

"Get back here you mutt!" The guard hollered at the orange and black furred puppy Pokemon, as he started chasing it. As he ran by the dumpster, Rocky stealthily reached out of the dumpster and nicked a key card from the guard's belt. The guard didn't appear to notice as it was dark and he was running after his Pokemon. After the coast was clear, Rocky hopped out of the smelly dumpster and quickly ran to the back door. After using the key card, Rocky entered.

Stepping into a large storage room filled with crates and boxes, he tiptoed through the storage area. He then came to another metal doorway. Once again he opened it with the key card.

The floor was made of red tile and it was so polished that it reflected the ceiling above. Rocky almost felt bad placing foot prints on them as he stalked through the halls, passing various doorways.

Soon Rocky came up to a large, glass sliding door. He peeked through it and saw a large room full of high tech medical equipment. The side of the room was covered shelved Pokeballs connected to computers via wires. Each computer screen displayed the condition of the Pokemon inside it.

Rocky looked at the lettering on the glass slide door. It said, "Surgery Room." This gave Rocky an idea. He swiped the key-card through the slot but instead of a green light flashing an a satisfying chime, he was answered with a red light and an ominous beeping noise. _Sh*t! The key-card doesn't have access to this room!_ Rocky thought.

Before he could find the solution the problem, he heard another door opening further down the halls. Rocky slipped inside a maintenance closet that had a manual door knob which was unlocked. He stared attentively through the key-hole to see the Nurse Joy clone open up the glass slide door to the Surgery Room and then pushed a cart full of medicine into the room.

Rocky sneakily opened the door to the maintenance closet and followed the Nurse Joy into the Surgery Room before the door slid shut with a hiss. Rocky noticed that there was already another Nurse Joy in the Surgery Room, as he hid behind a pressurized barrel of oxygen.

"I have the specified anesthetic for surgeries 145 through 167." One announced the to the other. "Thanks Joy. Hey Jazzy, organize the anesthetics for each Pokemon. Joy and I are going to get some coffee." The first Joy ordered a girl in a nurse's uniform.

"Why do I always have to do the long and tedious jobs?" She complained in a high voice.

"Because we don't feel like doing them and you have to do what we say." One of the two Joys replied as they strutted out of the room.

As they were exiting, one of them reached out and intentionally knocked over a the crate of anesthetic of which Jazzy had to organize. "Whoops. Clumsy me. I just made your job a lot harder. Too bad for you." The Nurse Joy sneered.

After they walked out, Jazzy began muttering to herself. "Stupid clones. They just can't stand a non-clone working with them. Sh*t, why am I even here if I'm my only purpose is the Nurse Joys' slave…"

Rocky felt sorry for her but his Sentret was dying. "Maybe your purpose is to heal sick Pokemon. How about you start with my Sentret?" Rocky suggested. "My Sentret will die without medical attention so either you heal him or I hurt you." Rocky threatened as he displayed a pocket knife and placed Sentret on the operating table. It was the biggest gamble Rocky ever made. He wasn't cold hearted, sadistic, or malicious enough to actually hurt Jazzy but he was determined enough to bluff.

To his surprise, Jazzy laughed at him. It was then that Rocky studied the girl closely. She was just a little bit shorter than Rocky, kind of skinny, had waist length, fiery red hair, and her eyes were a gleaming brown.

Rocky was not expecting her to attack him. She knocked him to the hard tiled floor and then kicked the knife out of his hand. Before he could do anything, she put her high-heeled foot on Rocky's neck and then pointed a can of pepper-spray at him.

"Go ahead. Struggle." She suggested. "Try anything and I'll burn your eyes out." Then she asked, flirtatiously, "Do you have a Pokemon Ownership License and a Pokemon Registration Card for that Sentret?"

"W-w-what do y-you think?" Rocky replied, his struggle for oxygen failing to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"Then why should I heal your Pokemon when it isn't legal?" She asked playfully, pressing her foot down harder on his neck.

"I-is it l-legal to assault m-me?" Rocky asked, desperately trying to get her heel off his neck.

"This is self defense. You threatened to hurt me with a knife." She replied with mock innocence.

"Which y-you found f-funny." Rocky interjected, as hoped the Nurse Joy's would walk back into the room.

"That was so obviously a bluff. You're scared out of your wits." She continued to torment him.

"It w-won't look so g-good if someb-body sees this." Rocky rasped.

"Like I care? My father is rich enough that I don't really need this job. I just have an interest in medicine and I'm here as an intern." She told him.

"I don't care what happens to me. Burn my eyes with mace, call the fuzz, whatever! Just help my dying Sentret. Please!" Rocky begged her as he stopped struggling.

To his surprise she removed her foot from his neck. "Because you're kind of cute then I'll heal your Pokemon." She told him as he stood up. She worked in silence, occasionally muttering comments about how abused Sentret was and how she'd like to kill the previous owner. Rocky was about to tell her that his name was Arby Jones but if Classsico didn't keep his mouth shut then Rocky knew that he would be suspected.

After an hour of nervous glances at the door, watching for the two Nurse Joys. "Are their coffee breaks normally this long?" Rocky questioned as Jazzy injected something into the unconscious Sentret.

"They think it'll take me a while to do their grunt work so they're in no hurry to get back here."

A few minutes later, Jazzy took off the plastic gloves. "I gave this Sentret so much medication that he should be passed out for the next twenty four hours." She informed him.

Then she handed him a bag containing several yet more medication and a calendar. "The calendar tells which meds to give Sentret on the given day and how much. If you don't follow instructions then the over dose will probably kill your Sentret. These meds aren't exactly kids' vitamins, understand?"

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind. How long do you estimate it'll take before my Sentret makes a full recovery?" Rocky asked, anxiously.

"Well… he may never." Jazzy replied solemnly. Rocky had a sudden fantasy of his switch blade to Arby's neck.

"Okay. Thanks you." Rocky whispered.

"Hey, don't be such a pessimist. This Sentret is full of mystery. You don't know what may happen with it." She told him cheerfully.

"Now you'd better get out of here before those Nurse Joys return." She warned

"Thanks for everything!" Rocky yelled as he waved goodbye and started out.

"I'll see you around…" Jazzy told him in a way that sent chills down his spine.

Rocky was so glad it was Saturday. He arrived back at the apartment at four in the morning and quietly snuck in then crawled into bed, hiding his Sentret in a nest made from old clothing, underneath the bunk bed. Then he slept for four hours until his step father shook him awake and told him to take out the trash.

As he walked back into the apartment, the phone rang. He picked it up. "This is Rocky speaking." Rocky answered.

"Hey, Rocky. Have you read the paper this morning." Classico's voice asked in a cold, menacing voice.

Rocky snatched the newspaper on the table and read the front lines. "MASTERMIND BREAK IN AT NORTH GOLDENROD POKEMON CENTER"

_Oh sh*t! _Rocky thought to himself. "Erm… yeah, your point being? You called me up for this?"

"Your Sentret needed medical attention. And it wasn't like you could get it and keep your Sentret." Classico pointed out. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the robbery of the money vault? A witness described you pretty well when you stole all of that medication." Classico accused.

Rocky felt extremely lightheaded. "I'm on to you, Rocky. Not only are you a horrible business man, you're also a horrible thief. And congratulations- now you have an opportunity to be a horrible Pokemon trainer." Classico sneered before he hung up.


	6. Chapter 5: Framed

**Chapter Five: Framed**

Rocky quickly figured out that Jazzy must have sold him out and framed him for the crime of robbing the Pokemon Center's funding vault, which she herself must have looted. _But why? She mentioned a couple times that her father had a lot of money. _Rocky asked himself. Several theories popped up. Any of his predictions for Jazzy's irregular psyche could have been true but at the same time, all could be false.

But Rocky put that matter aside for the moment since he had bigger fish to fry: Classico. If some oinker with a badge came snooping around in Rocky's direction, he already had a plan. 1. Establish himself as a complete idiot, unlikely to have committed the crime. 2. Ted will tell the Fuzz that he saw Rocky when he got up to us the bathroom around three in the morning (a cute kid like Ted wouldn't lie, right?) 3. Say that he's been made into a scapegoat.

But what was really frying Rocky's brain was what Classico said: _"I'm on to you Rocky."_ Rocky wondered why he just didn't tell his older brother as soon as he found out. The answer came to Rocky's question while he sat in the darkness of his bedroom, thinking. He realized that Classico thought that Rocky had a duffle bag full of money from the Pokemon Center's vault. _He must be waiting for me to spend the money so he'll know for sure that I was the thief and then he'll squeal._

Rocky also realized that maybe Classico does have some ambition. _He's trying to impress people but in order to catch me spending the money, he'll have to stalk me._ Rocky actually laughed out loud at the fact that he didn't actually have the money. _But I'm still guilty of breaking in and receiving some thirty thousand Poke worth of medication and treatment from Jazzy who is also guilty there for supplying the treatment and medicine. In court I suppose she could just say that I threatened her and it would work._

For the next hour Rocky sat on his bed in deep thought while he pet his snoozing Sentret, whose soft pelt was looking healthier already thanks to the meds. Finally, Rocky had a plan, but he needed to read over the newspaper article. However, Rocky never got a chance because he found another article that caught his attention.

**MOTHER CHARMELEON AND BABIES STOLEN FROM RARE POKEMON EXHIBIT **

Rocky read over the article and his heart froze in fear and confusion. _Pokemon_ _Police have connected the robbery of the Charmeleon and her three baby Charmaders to the robbery of about two hundred thousand Poke from the Pokemon Center. This criminal is now being hunted by the cities best detectives and Pokemon Police Agents. _

_Aw, sh*t, I'm dead. _Rocky thought in his petrified state. _I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead._ Once again a plan seemed to form by itself in Rocky's head. He snatched the phone and dialed Classico's number.

"Hello?" Came a reply. "Classico, is there somewhere we can meet in private to talk?"

Classico gave a cruel chuckle. "Are you planning on killing me so I don't tell the cops? Too late, pal. I already told my older brother, first thing. He told me that he doubts you could be behind the crime and he won't waste his time with a pathetic punk like you unless he sees more evidence."

"No. Please just stop being so stubborn and meet me on the corner of 345th street." Rocky sighed.

"Stubborn? You are so hypocritical!" Classico laughed at Rocky again.

Rocky was angry now. "Listen up, runt. Do you want to impress your big brother with your detective skills or not. Meet me at the corner and I'll tell you everything. I just can't say to much over the phone, plus I'd rather have this conversation face to face."

"Fine." Came the grumpy response.

Rocky saw Classico jogging down the cracked up sidewalk and ran up to meet him. Even though it was raining, they stood there and glared at each other for a few moments.

"This is what happened- I thought that I could bribe a nurse into healing Sentret without the paperwork." Rocky began to tell Classico but his new rival cut him off.

"Don't lie to me! The medical attention for Sentret would have been around thirty to forty thousand Poke and the bribe probably would have been between five thousand to ten thousand Poke. There's no way you have that kind of money."

"I hocked a pretty expensive family heirloom." Rocky replied. "It was from my stepfather's family so I didn't lose any sleep over it."

"Okay. Continue." Classico permitted, satisfied with the explanation.

"So there was this nurse I found in the halls. She wasn't a Joy. She said she was an intern but her father had a lot of money. Her name was Jazzy." Rocky described what she looked like.

"And oddly, she refused the money but treated my Sentret anyway. I didn't know why until I read the paper this morning. Then I realized that she wanted a scapegoat." Rocky explained. "and here's the best part: She revealed that she always wanted a Charmander because it would match her hair."

Classico thought for a long time. "You are still guilty and if you are convicted you will serve about six months in juvy. But I appreciate you honesty so here's the deal: If you help me solve this case then I will design an workable alibi for you. Or I turn you in right now."

"Of course I'll take the first choice." Rocky said as he shook Classico's hand. As Rocky did this he thought, _Sucker. _


	7. Chapter 6: Problems

**Chapter Six: Problems**

It wasn't that Rocky wanted revenge on Jazzy. He had no ill will towards the flirtatious femme fatal. However Rocky still wanted to confront Jazzy so he could show her that she didn't fool him or anyone else. Normally he'd want to cover her in steak sauce then kick her into a pit of wild and hungry Houndours. But Rocky's Sentret made an amazing recovery. Three days after the incident at the Pokemon Center, Sentret was crawling around Rocky and Ted's bedroom, playfully examining everything. And his appetite was incredible. Fortunately, Jazzy had placed super high calorie Poke-snacks in the bag of meds for Sentret.

"Aw you going ta name yo Sentwet?" Ted asked.

"Erm… I haven't really thought of a name for Sentret yet." Rocky replied, knowing that Ted had given him something to think about.

Rocky glanced at his cheap wrist watch. 6:30 PM, it read. Rocky's parents were both out; his mother working the night-shift as a waitress and his step-father always came home at ten on Tuesday nights.

"I'd better leave but I'll be back before they get home." Rocky told his little bother. Rocky knew that his mother would kill him if she discovered that he left Ted alone since she favors Ted over him, while his stepfather hates both of them but cuts Ted some slack because his wife likes the kid.

Rocky was going to meet Classico so they could do some more vigilante work on the case that Rocky was framed for. Although they were working together, they weren't friends again. They only talked about the case and anything related to it.

Meanwhile, Rocky had other problems at school. He knew that he needed to confront Arby Jones and he wanted to kick the crap out of the arrogant rich kid but both of those goals were not realistic.

Another problem was Rocky's stepfather. The previous night the selfish man told Rocky, "You ain't going nowhere 'till you pay off the debt of the all the meals we've fed you and all of the cloths we've given you. And how do we expect you to pay that debt? You have two choices get your own job and give me all of the paychecks or you can work at my car-repair shop. But your days of leeching off of your mother and I are over, understand, young man?"

What his stepfather meant when he said, "You ain't going nowhere-" is, 'you ain't becoming a Pokemon trainer, you ain't going to no fancy schools, and you ain't leaving this household and supporting yourself'. _Not going to happen fatboy._ Rocky thought viciously, as he picked up Sentet.

"Aw you going ta take Sentwet wit you?" Ted asked, worried.

"Don't worry. Sentret is a lot stronger and he will be in my backpack anyway." Rocky replied.

_It's too bad Sentret isn't strong enough to protect me yet._ Rocky thought gloomily as he ran out the front door to go meet Classico. As he jogged through the cruddy streets of the Goldenrod Ghetto, Rocky went over the various scenarios of a confrontation with his stepfather.

He could confront him outright and tell the man to go screw himself, but then the greedy stepfather would attempt to cause Rocky some serious harm. Rocky considered using a weapon such as a knife or a club of some sort but he immediately pushed the idea aside as he wasn't prepared to become a murder. Then Rocky considered running away with no confrontation. He wouldn't be able to stay in the city because the police would be on the look out. _I suppose I could go south and into the Azalea Forest then to Azalea Town. _Rocky thought. But then Rocky wondered how he would make money. _Money._

Rocky's thoughts then wondered to money. Corporations controlled ninety eight percent off the wealth in the entire world. They seemed to rule everything. And yet they always wanted more money and power. They sucked it away from ordinary people leaving sixty seven percent of the world's population underclass. Rocky wished he could change it.

Rocky walked into a small park. It was overrun with weeds and garbage and it hardly deserved the name park. But it was spacious and out in the open which made it a good meeting spot. An idea occurred to Rocky as he sat in the bench. What if he made money as a thief?

Rocky recalled how easily he came up with the break in plan at the Pokemon Center. If it weren't for Jazzy then it would have been a perfect crime. Also, Rocky knew that he wouldn't lose any sleep over robbing from one of the filthy rich corporations.

_Yo, yo, yo, get yourself together man! What are you thinking. If anyone so much as stole a crumb of food off the plate of one of the corporations then they would hunt you down and put your ass in a criminal correction labor camp for the rest of your sorry life! _Rocky silently yelled at himself.

"You're early." Classico greeted as he walked up to Rocky. Before Rocky could come up with a genius smart -ass retort, Classico pulled out a picture.

"Is this your friend?" It was a picture of Jazzy. For a second Rocky was mesmerized by what was apparently a school picture. "Stop gawking, you hopeless romantic!" Classico scolded.

Rocky blushed. "Moving on-!" Classico announced. "This redhead, Jazzy, is the daughter and only child of Don Juliani of Team Rocket."

"Her father is in Team Rocket?" Rocky gasped. Team Rocket is known for Pokemon cruelty and the firm belief that they were nothing but tools which is the opposite of the philosophy of a Pokemon Center's nurse like Jazzy.

"Not anymore. After his wife was killed by one of his rival gangsters he quit for the safely of his daughter, Jazzy." Classico explained. "But apparently Jazzy "Rosso" Juliani has a lot of her father's genes."

"So what are we going to do about her?" Rocky asked, worried.

"We want to keep our distance from her. Just because Don Juliani isn't in Team Rocket anymore doesn't mean he isn't involved in organized crime. He has mostly been severing ties with his old life for the protection of his daughter which makes me positive that Miss Juliani is acting alone and not working for her father. However, if Don Juliani hears that two vigilante thugs like us are trying to pin a crime on his little girl then he is going to dial the number of his old hitman or a brand new contract killer and our asses will be dead and floating in a water filled ditch." Classico lectured with a certain seriousness.

"Where do we start?" Rocky asked after an eerie silence.

"What do you know about the Goldenrod Wildflowers?" Classico asked in a reply.

"That street gang?" Rocky wondered what they had to do with it. "I know to stay the f*ck out of their way!" Rocky exclaimed. But the fact was that Rocky had always admired the Goldenrod Wildflowers despite a chilling encounter with them in his childhood.

"Well I do know that the Goldenrod Wildflowers had something to do with the crime. A witness interviewed by the police said that he saw a car with a golden flower with a knife as a stem painted on the hood driving in the same area as the rare Pokemon exhibit around the same time. It could have been coincidental or the car could have been stolen but that was the gang's symbol on the car."

"What evidence connects the Pokemon Center robbery to the rare Pokemon exhibit robbery?" Rocky asked attentively since it concerned him.

"A guard was bribed for the security codes. When he was arrested, the money was scanned for past locations and the Pokemon Center came up positive on the list of locations." Classico explained.

"What?" Rocky asked, confused.

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but money is often traced by spraying it with non-reactant and harmless chemical that can be detected easily. Each business has their own signature chemical that they treat their money with." Classico continued lecturing Rocky.

"Okay, so if the police already know this then what do we do?" Rocky asked continued asking questions.

"We need to go into Goldenrod Wildflower territory and do some snooping around." Classico told Rocky. "Specifically, snooping around the condemned warehouse on 468th street, which is rumored to be the Goldenrod Wildflowers' headquarters. Their headquarters is most likely where they're holding the Charmeleon and her babies."

"But I think that Jazzy is more likely to be behind the crime." Rocky contradicted.

"And I think that Jazzy is the new leader of the Goldenrod Wildflowers." Classico replied.


	8. Chapter 7: It Hits the Fan

**Chapter Seven: It Hits the Fan**

Rocky and Classico ran through the back alleys of the Goldenrod Ghetto. The Goldenrod Wildflowers' warehouse headquarters was at the docks, overlooking the Goldenrod Bay. As they ran, Rocky realized that Classico was actually in pretty good shape. He was having a hard time keeping up with him at first mostly because of the Sentret on his back. Although Rocky was keeping up with Classico, he was also huffing and puffing unlike his new rival.

As they entered the sector of the city called "The Docks" Classico slowed to a walk followed by Rocky. The two strode through the fishy smelling streets and as they did, Rocky decided to make an attempt at conversation. "So…uh… how soon are you leaving for the PokéPolice academy?"

"Four days from now." He answered coldly.

"On Saturday then…" Rocky confirmed.

Rocky was suspicious of Classico. He wondered whether or not he would stick to his word and keep Rocky out of jail. But if Classico didn't try to screw over Rocky than Rocky didn't have to screw over Classico.

"That's their headquarters up there. It's the large but rundown and condemned warehouse." Classico pointed out. It was hard to see because they had to look west which is where there was a blazing sunset.

As Rocky stared at his watch, which now said, "7:34", he thought of something. "How do you know all of this? The info on Jazzy, the stuff on her old man, and the location of the Goldenrod Wildflowers… oh and the info on the robbery?"

"I have access to Police files." He answered again before stopping. "We might go up against some trouble. All we are going to do it confirm that the Charmeleons and Charmanders are inside the warehouse. Then we get out of here and call the cops. But just in case we run into trouble…" Classico finished the sentence by pulling out a small metal box out of his backpack. The box had a pad lock protecting it and the large letters that spelled, "PBW".

"PBW?" Rocky asked. "Pokémon Based Weaponry." Classico answered. "I brought my favorites."

"what exactly is-" Classico answered Rocky's question before he could finish it.

"It is a Pokémon attack without the Pokemon. For an example-"Classico pulled an high-tech looking pistol out of the box.

"This pistol contains synthesized thunder pouches from a Pikachu and it is the latest and most high-tech version so it could fire most of Pikachu's attacks." Classico continued to explain to Rocky, who was amazed.

"It could fire a Thunderwave to paralyze but not harm the target, then it has three settings for an actual attack- Thundershock, Thunderbolt, and Thunder, but each attack uses up more energy. If the battery runs dry then it takes about twenty minutes for the thunder pouches to refill."

"Pretty cool. Can I have one?" Rocky asked. "I'm guessing that the stun gun is standard issue for Pokémon Police officers. What else do you got in that box of goodys?"

"Gas Grenades." Classico answered as he pulled out a couple of them. They could have been toy models of Koffing if they weren't filled with a synthesized cloud of the poisonous Pokémon's gas.

"Then we has some pepper spray, which has three different cartridges- poison powder, stun spore, and sleep powder." Rocky nodded his approval of the weapon.

"Lastly, we have a Steelex skin coated baton, which is pretty self explanatory, but also my favorite." Rocky took one from Classico and waved it around.

They loaded up on the weaponry then they climbed up to the top of another warehouse's roof via the fire escape where they spied on the Goldenrod Wildflowers while Sentret climbed out of Rocky's knapsack and wandered around playfully on the roof but Rocky not letting him stray to close to the edge.

There was a large hole in the roof but it was still guarded by two thugs whom just sat around, sharing a beer. All the windows were blocked up by a sheet of wood and some of the doors were to.

"I got a plan." Classico announced as took out one of the gas grenades. "Uh-oh…" Rocky muttered.

Classico tossed the grenade like a baseball over the street. It landed on the warehouse between the two gang members and then exploded releasing a cloud of green gas. Both fell unconscious. "Not bad. Now what?" Rocky asked, challengingly as he collected Sentret and placed him in the back pack.

Classico replied by tying a cloths line to the metal box that the weaponry was in and then swinging it like a lasso before tossing it across the street. Classico then pulled back the cloths which was attached to the box. The metal box got caught in the hole in the roof. After checking thoroughly to make sure it was stable, Classico tied his end of the cloths line to a flag pole. "It's too dangerous to go in through the front door, so we go in through the roof." Classico told Rocky.

"Are you insane?!" Rocky screamed. "Just follow me." Classico replied, calmly. The two grabbed onto the rope and started pulling themselves across.

Rocky looked down at his feet dangling. Oddly it almost appeared that they were touching the ground a hundred feet below. Then he looked up at his sweaty hands. "Were almost halfway there." Classico told him. "Hey Classico- shut up." Rocky growled as he continued edging his way to the warehouse roof. Suddenly a strong sea breeze hit them, sending the rope swaying back and fourth. "I really think that it would have been safer to go in through the front door!" Rocky yelled.

"Quit being a wimp!" Classico yelled back. But the wind grew stronger and the rope swayed more violently. Rocky heard a loud squeal and felt a weight be lifted from him.

He looked down with utmost terror to see Sentret falling to the ground. And there was nothing Rocky could do about it. The drop to the ground would only take five seconds but it was lasting minutes for Rocky to see. He closed his eyes. He couldn't watch his Sentret die. Facing the harsh cruel world, he opened them. But Sentret wasn't on the ground or dead.

A small brown bird was rapidly flapping its tiny wings, have a little bit of trouble carrying the Sentret away since it wasn't full grown yet. "NO!" Rocky screamed. "GIMME BACK MY SENTRET YOU SCAVENGER!" Rocky screamed.

Not thinking at all, Rocky let go of the rope and flew down to the ground. Once again, everything was going in slow motion. All Rocky could hear was the rushing of the wind and Sentret's squeals. As the milliseconds ticked by, the Spearow and the Sentret grew bigger. Rocky reached out to grab the Spearow. His hand barely scraped the vicious flying Pokémon's rough, dusty brown feathers. He missed.

But a large, furry, brown tail flicked out and into Rocky's grasp. His Sentret had saved him.

Meanwhile, Classico watched as the Spearow violently flapped its tiny wings to avoid falling to the ground but still keep its prey. Suddenly, the metal box slipped out of the crack in the roof and Classico also began to fall to the ground, still hanging onto the rope.

As he let go, the Spearow carrying the Sentret with Rocky clinging onto his tail, hovered by Classico. Classico reached out and grabbed Rocky's ankle.

The Spearow was exhausted and now had even more weight on it. But the notoriously malicious bird Pokémon did what came natural to it- ignore all pain and focus on battling the enemy. But in this case the enemy was gravity. It flapped with all its might. It drowned out all pain. But finally the extreme discomfort grew too intense and it let go of its prey.

Sentret, Rocky, and Classico landed on the roof. "HOT DAMN, WERE ALIVE!" Rocky celebrated.

"Keep your voice down." Classico shushed. "But I do admit that it was amazing that an adolescent Spearow carried that much weight for that long." He added.

Rocky stared as he saw the Spearow return to its perch to its fellow Spearows whom pecked and battered the little bird. Rocky got the feeling that the other flock members weren't punishing the Spearow for losing valuable prey; they were teasing it. The Spearow flock flew off but the one adolescent Spearow remain for a few seconds on the flag pole to give Rocky a menacing glare. Its fierce eyes seemed to say, _this isn't over yet. Your Sentret will be my dinner!_

Rocky made sure Sentret was okay then placed him back in the backpack. Classico stared at Rocky and Sentret for a second. "You need a Pokéball." He muttered as he opened up a trapped door on the roof.

They entered the warehouse. It was pretty vacant. The center of each floor was hollowed out so Rocky and Classico were able to look down on the very first floor from the very top floor. The first floor was where most of the gang was meeting. Apparently there was a Pokémon battle going on.

"Rattacate- quick attack!" A trainer ordered. The large rat Pokémon leaped at its opponent, Zubat, and crashed into it. It was a K.O. Another Rattacate used a Hyper Fang on a Ekans and also finished it off. "Rattacate, return." Two voices said at the same time, but it was almost impossible to tell them apart.

They girls were twins, around fifteen or sixteen years old, and both owned Rattacates. As Rocky got a look at them, their familiarity hit him and anger swelled inside him.

"Would anyone else like to challenge our leadership? Well, Wildflowers?" One of the twin girls asked. Nobody spoke up. Even without their Rattacates, the twins looked intimidating since their brown hair looked like a pair of Rattacates on their head.

"What?!" Rocky hissed to Classico. "You said that Jazzy is the leader of the Wildflowers! Not these two dogs!"

Classico hissed a reply back. "I said I _thought_ Jazzy was the leader. But this changes things. I don't know how Jazzy fits into all of this… unless… Rocky, you lying bastard!"

"What!?" Rocky gasped, offended.

"You knew about Jazzy's father and how that would make her an easy target! You were the perpetrator!" Classico was having a hard time keeping his voice down.

"Then why would I be helping you?" Rocky defended himself.

"Because I know about your Sentret and you need my trust and help." Classico replied.

Before they could continue arguing, the large front doors to the warehouse opened and a cloaked figure strolled inside. In deep low voice, he asked, "Where are the rare Pokémon? It is generally wise to display your product to the customer."

"Forgive us, Mr.-" One the twins apologized, but not in a groveling way.

"My name is not important. What is important is that I represent Team Rocket and I have a large quantity of money of which Team Rocket would like to use to buy some of these rare Pokemon." He replied. "I am assuming that you two are Violet and Rose, leaders of the Goldenrod Wildflowers."

"Yes, we are. Follow me." They said together.

"This confirms that they have the rare Pokémon but it doesn't make you innocent." Classico barked at Rocky. "But let's get out of here. We'll talk about this later."

"Don't we need proof that the Charmanders and their mother are being held here?" Rocky asked.

"I guess you're right. But I don't have a camera or anything like that." Classico replied grudgingly. "We could just steal back one of the Charmanders." Rocky suggested.

Classico thought about it as they hid behind several wooden crates to avoid three more thugs that we're coming up the stairs.

"Damn it, why did one of them Charmanders have to escape." One of them complained. Light bulbs flashed above Classico's and Rocky's heads.

"There he is." Another thug pointed to a orange lizard Pokémon. It stood on two legs and had a flame on the end of its tail.

"C'mere little buddy." A gang member ordered menacingly to the Charmander as he took out a net and dived.

Classico jumped out from behind the crate and shot an electric bolt at the Wildflower. "If you want this Charmander then you go through me." Classico challenged.

"No prob, dudes! We can take this punk-ass shrimp." He mean looking guy yelled.

"You won't get the chance." Classico replied as he threw a Koffing grenade which exploded into a cloud of toxic gas. When it cleared, Classico was gone, along with the Charmander.

"Damn it! The twins aw gunna kill us!"

Rocky ran down the stairs, following Classico, whom was carrying the frightened Charmander. They passed window that wasn't barred or covered. Rocky took advantage of it by throwing a wooden crate at it, smashing a hole through it.

Then they climbed through and started ripping down the rusty fire escape. When they got to the bottom, they started sprinting through the alley ways. At first Rocky and Classico thought that they had gotten away. But the roaring of several engines told them otherwise.

The Goldenrod Wildflowers were following them on ATVs. They soon surrounded Rocky and Classico. "Hand over the Charmander and we won't kill you and throw your body in the Goldenrod Bay." Rose offered.

"Like hell!" Classico responded as attempted to draw the electric gun as did Rocky.

But the Wildflowers were quicker. The two Rattacates leaped at them and bit their utility belts in half, leaving them weaponless.

"Roger. Dunlop. Tie them up." Violet ordered. Two large punks that resembled cavemen stepped off of their ATVs and approached Rocky and Classico. But as they reached out to grab them, they were sent into a world of pain.

Charmander leaped out of Classico's arms and slapped Roger in the face with the tip of its fiery tail. Sentret hopped out of Rocky's backpack and landed on the ground in front of Dunlop. Then Sentret blasted himself off the ground with a smack of his tail and plowed right into Dunlop's stomache which actually lifted the thug off the ground and sent him stumbling backwards clutching his gut.

Rocky surprised that his Sentret was strong enough to do that. "So you two have Pokemon worthy of battling our Pokemon." Rose sneered as she and her sister reached for their Pokéballs.

Both Rocky and Classico knew that they wouldn't stand a chance against two Rattacates.

"How dare you jerks get the party started without me!" A voice with mock hurt yelled. Jazzy emerged from the shadows of the Ghetto.

"Now everyone is here! Good. How about you enlighten me and my buddy, Classico, on what the hell actually happened on Friday night." Rocky suggested.

"Well if you must know…" Jazzy sighed. "Yeah, Rocky… I framed you for robbing the Pokemon Center Funding vault. Then I went down to the Rare Pokemon exhibit and I **bought** a rare Pokemon from there. A scientist working there fudged some paper work to make it look like several Pokemon didn't exist so then he could sell them for some extra dough. But on the same night, these punks broke into the Exhibit and stole some Charmanders and their mother Charmeleon. They stole the money that I STOLE to bribe the security guards."

Classico and Rocky realized that the story checks out. "It's too bad you three won't live to tell the tale." The twins said together as the Goldenrod Wildflowers sent out every Pokemon in their arsenal.

"Aw, that's it. Now the sh*t has officially hit the fan!" Rocky cursed.


	9. Chapter 8: Firefight

**Chapter Eight: Firefight**

"Go, Clefairy!" Jazzy sent a pink, furry normal type Pokemon. The twins laughed along with the rest of the gang. "Do you three fools actually think that a infant lizard, a weak and mal nourished Sentret, and a walking pink fluff ball could stand a chance against us?"

Jazzy gave a smug grin that seemed to suggest that she was hiding something. "Exactly. So why don't you attack? What's that matter girls? Scared of something…?" Jazzy taunted.

Without warning, Rose punched Jazzy in the face. "Eat that! And you're an bitch!" She screamed.

Rocky felt a flare of anger surging through him as he saw Jazzy with blood trickling down her chin from her lip and her luscious and curly red hair covering most of her face.

Jazzy merely laughed causing everyone to give her nervous stares. Rose tried to punch Jazzy again but Jazzy ducked and as Rose retracted her arm, Jazzy grabbed it and twisted it around so she was now in a position to break Rose's arm.

"I can break your arm right now so call of your boys or you're going to have to start trying to punch me with your left hand."

"We sure are lucky we're on her side, right?" Rocky pointed out to Classico as he nudged him with his elbow, Rocky feeling very joyful at the moment because he knew that his Sentret could battle.

"Back off!" Rose ordered to the gang members whom happily obeyed. "Now let go!" Rose ordered Jazzy. She smirked as she released Rose, who stumbled back behind the safety of her gang.

"You just made a bad move." Violet remarked as she snapped her fingers and her gang member advanced with their Pokemon, ready to kill.

"Hey, c'mon guys. Let's not fight like little children. We can talk this out like adults, right?" Rocky bargained, pathetically.

"You punks know too much. You've gotta go." Violet replied.

"Well at least give us time to think of a plan!" Jazzy whined. "Your gang would look weak if you were too desperate to give your enemies time outs."

"Oh fine. We don't want to be doubting ourselves. We'll give you and your sad little team three minutes to think of a plan." Rose replied. Her sister gave her a demanding glare. "What? I'm bored." Rose told Violet.

Jazzy, Classico, and Rocky huddled in a tight circle like football players. "We need a hell of a plan." Classico announced, worriedly.

"No sh*t , Oak." Rocky teased.

"This isn't the time to argue like kids. We gotta scheme." Jazzy interjected. "And I already have a scheme."

"What's that?" Classico asked, anxious to do something than stand around.

"RUN LIKE HELL!" Jazzy screeched as she returned her Clefairy and started sprinting away. A gang member tried to stop her by trapping her in a bear hug but she ducked and kneed him a certain area, ensuring that he will not be able to stand up for several minutes.

"Sounds like an effective plan to me." Rocky shrugged. "Peace out!"

The three burst out of the alley, trash and gang members in their wake. They set off in three different directions in order to throw their pursuers off. Jazzy went north, for the corporate district, Classico ran east to his home, and Rocky ran toward the piers, and found himself between several blood thirsty gang members and the choppy waters of the Goldenrod Bay.

"Ready for a swim in the Goldenrod Bay?" A Goldenrod Wildflower asked, threateningly. Rocky was cornered on a pier which extended about fifty feet into the choppy water, filled with factory waste and trash.

"Don't worry Sentret…" Rocky muttered as he attempted to formulate a plan. _Damn you Classico, damn you Jazzy! Who declared everyone for themselves!? _He thought angrily.

"Time to die, motherf*cker!" Another gang member taunted. Chills were sent down Rocky's spine as he finally realized that this might actually be the end. _Severely beaten and cut up, then thrown into that putrid water where I shall drown. Sh*t! Out of all of the ways I could have died tonight, why is it that the most gruesome fate is the one I fall to? It seems that ever sine I met you just a few days ago, that I my life has had the most excitement. DAMN IT! If you were a Growlithe and that little sh*tbag, Arby, didn't cheat me then I bet I wouldn't be in this situation. FIRE! I need a fire Pokemon. _

"Leave him alone." A nervous voice ordered from behind the gang. Even in the face of death, Rocky had to laugh. The good Samaritan coming to Rocky's rescue said, "Leave him alone" as if it was a question. "Excuse me, but would possibly considered not murdering him and waiting here while I go tell the cops." Rose imitated. "Get real, punk."

"I'm warning you." The boy replied. _This toothpick thinks he could save my ass?_ Rocky thought, repressing a laugh.

"Hey, kid, what you want to do right now is just walk away." Another gang member suggested.

"I'm warning you." He replied.

"As you can see, I'm just quivering in fear." Teased Violet. "Who do you think you are, kid?" Rose challenged.

His eyebrows narrowed with anger. "You people should have taken my first warning seriously! GO, Quilava!" A flash of red light came out of the Pokeball and a fire type Pokemon materialized.

"Back off or my Quilava will bake you crisper than toast." The Good Samaritan threatened.

_No, no, no, you don't sound confident enough. The Goldenrod Wildflowers won't buy your bluff. _Rocky thought, disappointed.

"You may be the most formidable threat we've faced tonight, but that doesn't say much. You're still just an insect compared to our power." Violet taunted.

"Hey, you're forgetting to factor the assistance from my Sentret if you intend to battle this dude's Quilava." Rocky warned.

"Okay, so you're a really big insect, but we'll still squash you!" Rose replied, annoyed.

Rocky quickly considered the battle. They were standing on the edge of the dock. Rocky and the boy were the tiny slices of bread while the Goldenrod Wildflowers were the massive slices of meat in a sandwich. But if Rocky and Sentret and the kid and his Quilava could go on the extreme offensive, then they could force the gang closer and closer together so there will be friendly fire and some of the Wildflowers will fall in the water.

"Hey, kid, fight like hell!" Rocky screamed through the Goldenrod Wildflowers to his new ally.

"Sic 'em, Zubat!" A Goldenrod Wildflower with excessive tattoos ordered his Pokemon. The purple bat flapped its tiny wings and flew at Rocky. Sentret leaped off Rocky's shoulders and tackled Zubat. Zubat appeared to be unfazed. As it spun around to shake loose Sentret, Rocky took ripped loose a plank of rotting root from the dock. Then he swung at Zubat.

Zubat knocked into several gang members. "FORE!" Rocky yelled as he swung the plank like a golf club, hitting an advancing Geodude. The plank of wood exploded into splinters but the Geodude could have been a golf ball. The round rock Pokemon impacted its trainer's chest causing the cracking of his ribs.

Meanwhile, Rocky's helper and his Quilava were struggling with the battle.

"Hey! I thought this was Pokemon only!" He objected as a gang member grabbed him and attempted to throw him into the water. But he was stopped as the Quilava slammed him with a Quick Attack, knocking the gang member into the water instead.

"Thanks, Quinn!" He thanked his Quilava. Rocky spent a second staring at this. _Quinn? Yeah, I suppose Quinn is a good name for a Quilava. I oughta think of a nickname for Sentret. Assuming we survive this, that is. _

Sentret hopped forward to attack another Wildflower advancing as he swung a switch blade. "Your Pokemon is a worm with fur." He laughed as he tried to kick Sentret. Sentret dodged the kick and before his leg could touch the ground, Sentret bit his other leg. Being completely off balance, the knife wielding gang member fell on his butt, accidentally slicing the ankle of another Goldenrod Wildflower, who fell in the water.

"Quinn, Ember!" The fire Pokemon spat out a bolt of flame. The tightly packed gang members attempted to get out of the way along with their Pokemon. Some of them were knocked into the water, others set on fire, but the dock was also set on fire. While the gang members and the boy whom came to Rocky's aide could escape, Rocky was on the edge of the dock and was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Or to be more precise, a burning and unstable dock and some rough waters.

_Fire or water? The irony!_ Rocky thought to himself. The smoke stung his eyes to the point where he couldn't see anything. His throat and lungs stung and he felt himself being slowly cooked by the fire. "C'mere, you." Rocky muttered as he held the frantically squeaking Sentret.

Police sirens were heard above the roar of the fire but they seemed distant to Rocky as he fell to his bleeding knees. Suddenly, the dock collapsed and Rocky, still tightly holding his Sentret, fell into the acid green water. He thrashed around but he was surrounded and restricted by the debris and rubble from the dock. A salty, bitter taste erupted in his mouth as he accidentally swallowed a throat full of water. His lungs were burning but he only sunk lower. Although he continued to valiantly struggled, oxygen loss overtook him.

_I feel… warm. _Rocky thought as he gave into the fact the fact that he was going to die.

Then there was an incredibly powerful light in the murky water of the bay. Rocky could feel the electricity radiating out of it as the waves went through him.

_You again?_ Rocky thought as he realized that it was the same paranormal but sentient being that he made contact with in his apartment when he first opened Sentret's Pokeball. The familiar feeling of incredible power and energy surged through him. _What are you?_

Rocky realized that he was no longer under water, drowning. He was in a seat. There was a constant rattling and he felt warm air blowing on him. Rocky realized that he was in a rollercoaster.

"Hold on buddy!" Rocky looked to his side to see a man and a toddler. The toddler was a chubby little boy with a chocolate ice cream smear on his white shirt. As the Gyarados-themed rollercoaster flew down the track at a hundred miles an hour, the little kid squealed with delight and the man laughed with excitement.

_Time to go_. A voice said to Rocky. _No, I want to see more. _He replied. Something about the vision was so… familiar.

A hand clasped around Rocky's wrist. He turned to see Jazzy sitting next to him. "What are you doing here?" He asked her. "Saving your sorry ass." She replied as she jumped out of the rollercoaster, still holding onto his wrist. Suddenly, the scene disappeared and was replaced with water. Dark, acid green water. Rocky's lungs were burning in agony. He was losing it. There was light everywhere. _Sentret! Where's Sentret? _He thought before he had a white out. _I now die, but knowing that I had a father- a real father. Somebody that makes me who I am. I am Rocky- Last name… Last name… No… Just Rocky. All Rocky. _

Suddenly, Rocky was in ecstasy. He was lying on the slanted roof of a tall sky scraper, looking up at the clear starry sky. In Goldenrod City, the stars were normally hidden by the smog but not at that perch. An aroma filled his nostrils. He realized that he was being kissed. The seductive taste… the warmth of a body on top of his. _Is this the afterlife? _

His quickly beating heart skipped a beat as he realized that he was kissing Jazzy. "If you're here, than I am confused. Am I in Heaven or Hell.?" He asked.

"I can make it either one, smart-ass." She replied before rolling over and throwing Rocky off the skyscraper. He screamed as the ground became more visible like a microscope zooming in on a specimen. *SPLAT*. Rocky awoke as his hallucinations induced by almost drowning dissolved. Staring at the darkened night sky as the white noise of the city roared in the background, Rocky thought to himself, _I'm alive. _


	10. Chapter 9: Hell of a Night

**Chapter Nine: Hell of a Night**

Rocky was lying flat on his back on the floor of a grungy ally way that looked down on the Bay. His clothing was damp and smelled of the Goldenrod water. _I was drowning. How am I alive? How did I get here? _The answer came to him like a firework exploding within his skull. _JAZZY_

Rocky recalled her sitting next to him on the rollercoaster in his hallucination and claiming that she was "saving his sorry ass". Rocky pulled a long strand of red hair off his shirt. _She really did save me. _

Rocky was flabbergasted. He labeled Jazzy as narcissistic, arrogant, sadistic, and insane. But doing something like jumping into the sludgy waters of the Goldenrod Bay and descending deep into it in order to receive a drowning kid whom could have already been dead, then dragging him out and- Rocky blushed as he remembered his dream about Jazzy kissing him. _It seemed so real though_… He thought, disappointed. Then several thoughts collided. _She must have given me CPR. After all, she is a nurse in training. _

_Does it count as my first kiss if it is under those circumstances?_ Rocky pondered as he picked up Sentret who awoke with a squeak. Joy erupted in Rocky as he recalled that Sentret could battle. _Your strong enough to fight and you'll only get stronger._ He thought to Sentret.

Oddly, Sentret seemed to acknowledge the remark with a happy squeal. Rocky starred at his ticket to wealth, respect, and fame. He felt guilt for when he wished that he had a Growlithe instead. _Arby made the wrong move selling you to me, 'cause I would choose you over any other Pokemon in the world despite all your weaknesses. Arby Jones is at the top of my hit-list and I'm coming for him soon._

As Rocky started walking through the street lit sidewalks, he tried to think of a name for the Sentret snoozing on his shoulder. After fifteen minutes, Rocky realized where he was in the city and estimated that it would be about and hour's walk back to the apartment. Then he stared at his wrist watch. 9:46 PM, it said. _Sh*t, that means I'm in trouble. My stepfather is going to try to kill me and walking through the streets of the Goldenrod Ghetto after sunset is an effective way to die. Someone might mug me, human traffickers might try to pick me up, I might be hustled by the cops, and… there is that serial killer that's been loose in the city lately. _Rocky thought to himself, before pushing the thoughts away.

"Hold it right there kid." A gruff voice ordered. Rocky turned around and looked down the sidewalk to see a scruffy looking man that had an attire that suggested he was in a bike gang; lots of leather. Rocky was about to ask what he wants but then somebody called from behind, "It's pretty stupid of you to be wandering out here all alone. Something _bad_ might happen if you get my drift."

Fear surged through Rocky as he realized that he wasn't equipped to take the two guys. "What the f*ck, you two want?" Rocky asked, trying to be assertive.

"You gotta foul mouth." The first man scowled. Then he asked his partner, "What do you say, Lewis? Is this punk worth the trouble?"

"I dunno. Let's see what he's carrying on him." Lewis replied, cracking his knuckles.

"You're wasting your time. I have jack-sh*t worth of valuables." Rocky snarled back, hoping that the two men would decide that he wasn't worth mugging.

"What are you talking about? You've got yourself a Pokemon." The man to Rocky's left pointed out.

Adrenaline was pumped into Rocky like pollution into the Goldenrod Bay. _He wants to take Sentret. Take Sentret. Separate me from Sentret. NO!_

"LIKE HELL, MOTHERF*CKER!" Rocky screamed. It was like something inside him exploded. It was as if his right leg received an electric bolt as it snapped out, connecting with Lewis's left knee cap, causing a crunching noise. He fell to the ground, crippled.

Sentret rocketed off Rocky's shoulder and smashed into the sternum of the other mug. He gasped and fell to the ground. _Destroy them, destroy them, destroy them…. _The words echoed through the heads of both Rocky and Sentret.

Rocky screamed as he stomped Lewis's head, repeatedly.

Sentret scratched the other mugger's face and sunk his teeth into the hoodlum's fleshy cheek. "AAAAGH! Get off!" He yelled and punched Sentret as hard as he could. Sentret hit the ground with a patch of the guy's cheek still in his mouth. Blood was streaming down his face.

"You two are a pair of freaks!" He yelled. "Get them, Growlithe." He reached into his leather coat and took out a Pokeball. Then he sicked his Growlithe on Rocky and Sentret whom were running like hell down the road, the fire-spewing Growlithe hot on his heels (literally).

Although Rocky noticed out of the corner of his eye that the Growlithe was still a puppy, the thing was vicious. "Get off, mutt!" Rocky yelled as the orange dog-Pokemon sunk its canine teeth into Rocky's ankle and he fell to the ground. Sentret tackled Growlithe but it didn't cause much damage, although it did cause Growlithe to let go of Rocky.

Rocky took the opportunity to grab Sentret and start climbing a fire escape. He didn't stop until he was on the top of the old building, looking down on the street. The Growlithe's owner caught up, huffing and puffing.

"You stupid, f*cking, worthless, Mutt!" He yelled as he kicked Growlithe, whom whined and hid under a dumpster. "You let them get away!" He screamed as he reached under the dumpster and pulled out Growlithe by its furry scruff. It yipped in pain.

"Lemme tell you what, you puny scrap of fur… I am going to leave you on your own- release you." He snarled. The Growlithe actually started crying with its puppy snobs.

"Stop being such a baby. There is one consolation- If you capture that punk-ass kid and that weak scrap of fur he calls a Pokemon, then you get to be my top dog." The Growlithe barked happily at this deal, nodding his snout.

"Crap." Rocky muttered. Not only was a natural predator Pokemon now after him, but his ankle was bleeding from the bite. However, Rocky's worries were stopped short by something he saw- the blood on his shoes. The worn out sneakers were soaked in blood from stomping Lewis's face.

"I-I didn't mean to…" Rocky muttered to himself.

Rocky sprinted through the streets. It was eleven at night when he finally reached the apartment building. He hadn't even thought of what he was going to tell his step father and mother. _On second thought, screw 'em! I don't need to tell them anything. _Rocky decided.

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell to Classico's apartment opened. "Rocky! What the…" He asked in disbelief.

"Do you mind if I crash here for the night…" Rocky asked, hoping that he wasn't being intrusive.

"No, not at all. Actually I'm glad you showed up. Terry is in working on an investigation in Olivine City so I'm stuck here for the next three days alone. But he'll be back by the time I leave for the academy. Plus I thought you were dead."

"No, this guy showed up with a Quilava and helped me fight off the gang." Rocky explained.

"Oh yeah, he is right here." Classico opened up the door completely, allowing Rocky entry to the tidy but large apartment. Rocky's savior was sitting at the kitchen table, looking pretty gloom. He stood up when he saw Rocky. "My name's Erich Jaeger."

"Yeah, I'm Rocky. Thanks for saving my ass." Rocky then turned to Classico. "You sent the police to the dock, right?"

"Yeah, why."

"The two people that saved my life tonight are in the same place so I can thank them. How convenient." Rocky smirked. But then he thought of Jazzy. He would be decomposing at the bottom of the Goldenrod Bay if it weren't for her selfless actions. Rocky made a mental note to thank her sometime. But something wasn't right about her, he was beginning to realize. But it hit Rocky that Jazzy had a personality disorder of some kind. She was merely saving Rocky because he provided her with excitement. He filed the theory in his brain.

"Charmander-char." The same baby Charmander that Classico saved from the clutches of the Goldenrod Wildflowers wandered up to Rocky and announced himself.

"You kept him?" Rocky asked, surprised.

"Yeah he disappeared when the police showed up and appeared inside my back pack after a police cruiser drove me back here. Pretty sneaky little guy. To be honest were growing attached. But he's still the property of the Rare Pokemon Exhibit." Classico muttered, pouting.

"After you saved Charmander's lizard ass from the Goldenrod Wildflowers, you deserve to keep him."

"Speaking of which, we're at the top of the Goldenrod Wildflowers' hitlist and I think that they will be wanting their stolen Charmander back." Classico explained.

"We got away from them once, we can do it again." He replied, confidently.

Classico changed the subject to a more interesting topic: Erich. "I met him and invited him to stay here because… well… he doesn't really have another place to go. You should hear his story." Classico, explained as he led Rocky to the kitchen table where Erich sat.

"It was a month ago when I discovered that my parents were missing." Erich began. Rocky was distracted because he was looking out the apartment window, seventy feet below on the street. There was a Growlithe pacing back and fourth.

"It was when I came home from school. They were gone. It looked incredibly professional. It's an upper-class suburban neighborhood so if two people went missing then the cops were all over it. They found squat for evidence. But the weird part is that my parents were acting very odd the week before they went missing. They were very nervous and jumpy and they wouldn't stop arguing in hushed voices. They weren't going to work either. I tried to eavesdrop on them but they were too quiet. But I heard my dad say something about PokéCorp., the corporation they worked for."

Rocky jumped to life. "PokéCorp.! Classico, that's where…"

Classico replied before Rocky could even speaking. "Yeah, I told you that corporation was corrupt."

_Arby Jones had possession of Sentret before he tricked me; and Arby's parents work for Pok__éCorp. also. Arby must have taken advantage of his parent's job to get ahold of countless Pokemon then sell them. Sentret must have been stolen from one of the labs since it's the only explanation for the mutation and chemicals. _Rocky and Classico shared the theory with Erich.

"But that doesn't make sense. Mr. Jones has a powerful seat on the PokéCorp Board of Chairmen and Mrs. Jones is the Sales Specialist. They're rolling in money! Why would a spoiled rich kid like Arby Jones be selling Pokemon like he's desperate for money?" Erich objected.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that." Classico agreed.

"I think I can explain it." Rocky told them. "You see… Money isn't just money. Wealth isn't just wealth. Have you ever noticed that even though Arby is a Douche Bag, he hates to show off his wealth. He shows off his skill, looks, girlfriends, and what not, but he never likes to prove how rich his parents are. It's because he knows that the money isn't actually his and he feels like a fool showing it off. But having his own money that he feels he earned makes him feel independent and strong. I sort of know the feeling."

"I suppose your theory makes sense. I guess Arby isn't without moral." Classico mentioned.

"I honestly think that PokéCorp. took my parents because they found something that they weren't supposed to find." Erich said.

"How important were your parents to PokéCorp.?" Classico asked.

"They were just product inspectors. No one irreplaceable." Erich replied, at the verge of tears.

Classico thought then said, "Maybe your parents did their job too well. Maybe they found something in a product that was against regulations. If this is true and PokéCorp got a hold of your parents and your parents have no further use for PokéCorp, then they are probably dead."

"Nice sugar coating." Rocky sneered. "If your parents were smart then they would have done something to make sure PokéCorp wouldn't kill them. They would have made a bargaining chip. Did your parents tell anyone or make copies of any incriminating evidence they might have discovered?"

"I have no idea. They never left the house to tell anyone and they never used any phones. Also, they disconnected all the computers in the house from the internet. They knew they were being spied upon." Erich replied.

"I say we search your house." Classico replied. "Terry won't be home for another few days. We can forget school tomorrow… well, actually, school starts in about seven hours."

"Are you insane? Erich's parents were kidnapped or worse because they probably stumbled upon some sensitive info. Let's not make the same mistake." Rocky objected.

"We decide to do something radical and you object? Who are you and what have you done with Rocky?" Classico demanded, mockingly.

"You're talking about skipping school! Who are you and what have you done with Classico?" Rocky combated.

"Look, we'll check the house and if we do find something then we'll keep a lid on it until we come up with a long term plan." Classico bargained.

"And what if PokéCorp. discovers that somebody has been snooping around. This is one of the most powerful organizations in the world. They're going to take extreme safety measures to make sure that nobody else stumbles upon anything incriminating." Rocky warned. "I'd bet that they're watching Erich's house, waiting for someone to go snooping around. I'm staying away." Rocky declared.

"Fine, coward." Classico teased, coldly.

"I'm not acting out of fear, I'm acting out of intelligence!" Rocky yelled at Classico.

"Would both you calm down!" Erich ordered. "Rocky almost died tonight and I doubt he's too eager to be in that situation again."

"As if I wasn't risking my neck!" Classico argued.

"Look at it this way! Please describe each of your family members." Rocky requested like a lawyer in a courtroom.

Classico eyed him suspiciously, but fulfilled the request. "My father was killed on the job while working undercover as a Pokemon Global Police Agent. I have no further details but it happened when I was three. My mother is a lawyer whom has dedicated her life to destroying criminal organizations. But to protect me and the rest of my family, she has severed all ties with us since in her line of work, she makes a lot of enemies. My oldest sibling, Rebecca, is a Grass Type Pokemon Expert at the Goldenrod Greenhouse. Multiple PHDs from Celadon University and the Violet City Institute. My seventeen year old brother is an important Pokemon Global Police Agent. He's definitely lived up to my father's name." Classico revealed.

Rocky realized how much he didn't know about Classico, but he continued working with blinders. "Exactly. You come from a family full of productive and well known citizens. If you go missing, then huge efforts will be made to find you. But me… look at who I am." Rocky ranted. "My past is almost as great a mystery as this Sentret on my shoulder since there is defiantly something about my father that my mother is hiding from me, my parental unit consists of my alcoholic bum of a step father and my pathetic excuse for a mother, and as far as everyone who knows me is concerned: I'm just a rabid slum dog. So to sum it all up: Nobody would give a sh*t if I went missing or anything in general happened to me."

"Okay fine, I admit that PokéCorp. would think twice before laying a hand on me." Classico admitted.

Eventually, they settled down and Classico showed them places to sleep. At first Rocky thought he'd be too hyped on adrenaline to sleep, but after relaxing on the couch, he drifted off to sleep faster than his stepfather after he's been hitting the liquor.

Rocky's dreams were epic and intense. He was being chased through the slums under a full moon. A vicious Growlithe hot on his heels, an angry Spearow, intent on capturing and devouring Rocky's Sentret, the Goldenrod Wildflowers waving torches and pitchforks, and most horrific- an blood covered, chainsaw wielding Jazzy.

"YAAA! Back the f*ck off, motherf*ckers!" Rocky screamed as he awoke. "Oh." He muttered as he realized he was awake. Classico and Erich stared back, worried and also offended.

"Uh… bad dream." Rocky told them, blushing with embarrassment. He got off the couch and checked his wrist watch. _7:10_. "Damn! School starts in an hour." Rocky cursed.

"You shouldn't go anyway." Classico suggested as Rocky poured a cup of coffee. He spat it out in the sink immediately. "BLAGH! I hate decafe. Got any French Roast?" Rocky complained,

"That's not even coffee! It's-" Classico started to say. "I don't want to know, actually." Rocky interjected as he picked up the morning paper and started reading through it and stuffing his face with pop-tarts that Classico stacked on a plate. His heart rate skyrocketed and the blood drained from his face as he read a certain article.

**TWO COPS ATTACKED IN HARBOR DISTRICT LAST NIGHT**

_**Last evening, two police patrol officers were attacked and hospitalized, one of them requiring emergency medical attention. Officer Dent Rudy and his partner, Lewis Jenkes, were patrolling the Harbor District the previous evening. Officer Jenkes was not conscious to tell the story however Officer Rudy was. **__"We saw a kid between ages twelve and fourteen walking alone with a Pokemon that I think was a Sentret on his shoulder. It was ten at night and gang activity was reported earlier so he seemed suspicious. When we attempted to question him, both him and his Pokemon reacted extremely violently. The kid kicked the sh*t out of my partner and he was stomping his face, trying to kill him. His Pokemon was small but it was quick and had sharp teeth and claws. It ripped a chunk out of my face. I sent my Growithe after the kid but he knew the streets too well. That lunatic disappeared like a phantom." __**Officer Jenkes is reported to have a serious concussion, a severely broken nose, and a shattered kneecap. The violent teen is described to be around five feet, six inches, Caucasian, and wearing blue jeans and a navy blue jacket with a hood that hid his face for the most part. A Sentret is reported to accompany him. **_

Rocky couldn't read anymore. Acting purely on instinct, he grabbed the page with the article in the newpaper then stumbled into the bathroom of Classico's spacious apartment. He closed the door and then locked it. Then he vomited half-digested pop tarts into the toilet.

Sentret squeaked, curiously. Rocky wiped the tears from his eyes held Sentret tightly. _Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t_! Rocky thought to himself. He couldn't let anyone know what he had done. He took that article out of the newspaper before Erich or Classico could read it. _They were the only ones whom would be able to make the connection. _Rocky confirmed._ No, SH*T, SH*T, SH*T, there's Jazzy and Ted. No Ted is too naive. But Jazzy will know if she reads the newspaper. _

Rocky sat there in the bathroom, crying his eyes out. _I could have sworn they were mugging me! But they were cops! What the hell is wrong with me!? Even if they weren't cops, I'm still f*cked up for doing what I did! _

In the abyss of his thoughts, Rocky thought of one more person who would be able to make the connection: Arby Jones. _It's about time that I tied up that loose end._ Rocky thought as his self-loathing dissolved into anger.


	11. Chapter 10: Jackie Johnson

**Chapter Ten: Jackie Johnson**

While Erich and Classico traveled to Erich's house to look for evidence, Rocky, wanting to be useful in some way without getting involved, monitored a Police radio, looking for any transmissions of importance.

But Rocky had better things to do. As soon as the two left, Rocky got to work on satisfying his vendetta against Arby Jones. However, when Rocky was about to leave the apartment he saw out the window of the apartment that the Growlithe was still on the streets below. To combat this obstacle, Rocky grabbed a slice of sandwich meat from the refrigerator. "I hope Classico doesn't mind." Rocky muttered to himself as Sentret hopped on his shoulder.

The apartment building where Classico lived was much newer, cleaner, and larger than Rocky's. He almost forgot that there was a working elevator. School started an hour previously, but Rocky wasn't going there to learn lessons, he was going to teach one.

The Growlithe immediately galloped after Rocky when he stepped out of the apartment building. "Fetch!" Rocky yelled as he threw the piece of Roast Tauros over Growlithe, whom changed directions and ran to get a delicious snack.

Knowing that the police would arrest any minor they spotted outside of school during school hours, Rocky stayed out of sight with his hood on and his Sentret inside his coat. He also knew that the cops would be looking for him after his interaction with the previous night.

Finally he arrived in front of the school. In the back of the school was a dumpy parking lot for both student drivers and teachers. Knowing that Arby had a Corvette, he made his way around back to the parking lot which was shadowed by the trees and surrounding buildings. A shiny red Corvette was parked in the middle. Car alarms were against the rules, not because they were a disruption to learning, but because everyone hated the sound of them.

Rocky began picking the lock to the flashy car while Sentret sat on the roof of the Corvette. Living in the ghetto for as long as he could remember had given Rocky some amateur proficiency in lock-picking. Accidentally, Rocky pulled the handle and the door to the fancy sport car opened.

"That dumb-ass didn't lock his car… Or he figured that nobody would be stupid enough to touch his car." Rocky mumbled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the newspaper article about the two cops getting their clocks cleaned. Rocky placed it hanging on the steering wheel so Arby had no choice but to notice it. "Phase one complete." Rocky chuckled as Sentret hopped back on his right shoulder as he climbed out of the fancy car. Suddenly, a cold metal wire wrapped around Rocky's neck and constricted. Someone was choking Rocky to death.

Reacting quickly, before he died of oxygen loss, Rocky, shot his elbow back colliding with the ribs of his attacker. In response, the attacker from behind began dragging Rocky using the fiber wire as a leash. Rocky gagged and everything started going white as the oxygen flow was cut off from his brain. _Is it the end of me this time? _He asked himself. Sentret clawed at the ankle of the attacker, then hopped on his shoulders and bit his neck. A sharp grunting noise sounded and the thug let go off Rocky, who collapsed to the weathered asphalt, gasping for breath. Gulping huge amounts of breath, he went from to little oxygen, to too much oxygen. A warm fuzzy sensation spread in Rocky as he lost consciousness, briefly.

Sentret's desperate squeaking woke Rocky. He was inside a dark room with a bright light in his face. "Wakey, wakey, kid. You were out for five minutes. I was just going to kill you, but now that I think about it, you may have some use." A slick sounding male voice said.

"So why didn't you kill me?" Rocky asked, suspiciously.

"Well, for starters, I want to know what the hell you were doing in Arby Jones' car. Secondly, I want to know where you got this Sentet from. Thirdly, you seem like a tough kid and I can use some assistance." He told Rocky as he turned off the light keeping Rocky blinded.

"Hey, man! My Sentret is still injured so tell your Machop to get his little gray arms off him!" Rocky yelled as he noticed a Machop holding an struggling Sentret.

"If you value your Sentret's safety, then answer my questions." The man replied.

Rocky studied the man. He was young, in his twenties, greasy black hair, slicked back to expose his face. His face was narrow and somewhat sullen and tired. His clothing consisted of a black business suit was probably nice when he first wore it but now it was dusty and worn out with various stains and rips. However Rocky was streetwise enough to notice one thing about him that answered a lot of questions: his red tie and black suit- blood red and pitch black were the colors of…

"Team Rocket!" Rocky yelled, in an "AH-HA!" type of voice. Then he realized that his abductor was the same Team Rocket thug at the Goldenrod Wildflower Hideout the previous night.

"You guessed it." The Team Rocket thug muttered, sounding very apathetic. "My name is Team Rocket Agent Jackie Johnson." He revealed, still sounding very bored. "So let's start off with why you were in Mr. Jones' car?"

"Who want's to know?" Rocky questioned, discreetly.

"Your Sentret wants to know because he'll be dead if he doesn't know." Jackie Johnson replied.

"Okay! I'll talk. It's kind of a long story. What happened was-" But Rocky stopped talking for a split second. _Be honest? No… I have a better idea. _He thought to himself.

"What happened was there was this girl." Rocky began to spin a story of lies. "She was a cheerleader, but unlike most of the popular crowd, this girl wasn't a complete bitch. She was actually nice. When we got together, it was the first intimate relationship I've ever had. AND THEN ARBY JONES STOLE HER FROM ME! So if you were wondering what I was doing in his car… I planned to wait in the back seat and then strangle to death from behind." Rocky declared, melodramatically.

Jackie Johnson looked at Rocky with respect and understanding. "Okay, you're the right thug for the job." He decided before explaining, "Fact is, the Goldenrod Wildflowers had a contract with Team Rocket agreeing to sell us all the rare Pokemon they stole. But after you and your friend messed everything up last night, the deal was never carried out. We planned to immediately reschedule the deal but then out of nowhere some dirt-bag paid a higher price and bought the Pokemon instead of us. But instead of offering an even higher price, we are just thinking of stealing the Charmanders among other rare stolen Pokemon back from Arby." Jackie explained.

"Sounds good. What's in it for me?" Rocky asked.

"I suppose I could just tell you to steal the Pokemon back from Arby or I'll kill your Sentret but that would mean I would have to keep your Sentret and I get the feeling that you two work well together." Jackie figured. He thought then told Rocky, "Here's the deal: Steal at least ten rare Pokemon back from Arby and I'll let you keep one."

Rocky thought about it. "Deal."


	12. Chapter 11: School's Out Forever

**Chapter Eleven: School's Out Forever**

Rocky easily snuck inside the school. Although during school hours, all doors are locked tight as a drum so that nobody can get in or out. However, sneaking inside was a walk in the park compared to the Pokemon Center several nights ago.

Rocky hid inside of a large box of frozen food which was unloaded by Machamps into the school cafeteria kitchen. As Rocky felt the box set down, he peeked out through a hole to see that the coast was clear. He and Sentret then hopped out of the box to find themselves in a freezer.

Although the door was open as more crates of frozen food from the delivery were carried in, Rocky shuddered with fear with the realization that he could have ended up locked in a freezer.

Rocky found himself in the school kitchen where he watched the obese and seriously underpaid cafeteria ladies with five-o'clock shadow microwave and serve frozen feces called "School lunches". Rocky would rather eat gunk of the bottom of the Goldenrod Bay than the cafeteria food. Knowing that he couldn't walk through the school with a Pokemon, he looked up to see the grate to an air vent. _I'm a genius. _Rocky thought as a jumped on top of a crate and pulled of the metal grate on the ceiling. Sentret climbed into the air vent. "Excellent. Now just stay there." He told his Pokemon.

Stealthily exiting the kitchen before anyone could see him, he then entered the large but jam-packed cafeteria. Rocky gazed across the room where he saw Arby Jones surrounded by the cheerleading squad. Rocky couldn't stop himself as his feet started moving him toward Arby.

The a ripple was created in the crowd of cheerleader fan girls surrounding Arby as Rocky moved closer however he was completely unaware of what he intended to do. Arby's eyes grew large as manhole covers as he saw Rocky standing in front of him. But he quickly killed his shocked expression and put on his favorite sneer.

"Hey, Rocky. How's that _Growlithe _working out for you?" He asked as his cronies laughed. Rocky was at loss for words. Everything in the past week since he brought Sentret from Arby had been completely unreal and also the highlight of his life. Rocky actually felt gratitude to Arby for this. He didn't feel at all angry.

"I… uh…" Rocky stuttered, completely unsure of what to say.

"Oh! I'm sorry did I misplace the Growlithe Pokeball with the Pokeball containing a the rotting, half dead, puny, piece of crap.-"

Rocky finished the sentence for Arby. "Sentret." Rocky said it in a whisper but the whole cafeteria heard it.

"Yeah… about that. Sorry but I don't do refunds." Arby told Rocky sending everyone into laughter.

Suddenly Rocky was able to see Arby for what he really was. It was as if Arby's soul was laid out like a map before his eyes. And at the same time Rocky's mind grew closer to Sentret's.

"Oh, believe me my dear man! I didn't come here for a refund! No, I came here to thank you for selling me Sentret." Rocky revealed, very confidently.

There was actually anger in Arby's eyes. "What?! Is this reverse psychology or something?" Arby sneered.

Rocky ignored him and asked, "Do tell: Why would a spoiled rich boy like you be selling Pokemon anyway? Can't you just use daddy's money?"

Rocky just hit Arby's soft spot. "Shut up you little…" Arby bellowed and punch Rocky in the face.

Rocky slammed against the brick cafeteria wall and then slumped to the ground with thick rivers of crimson blood pouring from his nose.

"Let that put you in your place!" Arby yelled at Rocky as he shook his fist. But Rocky was not in his place yet. He was far from put in place. Almost a decade of beatings from his step-father and occasionally his mother had given Rocky the skill of drowning out pain.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt that ego of yours. But I'm sure there's still plenty left!" Rocky laughed. Arby then leapt on top of Rocky and began repeatedly punching him to the point where Rocky saw nothing but stars.

Oddly, he kept seeing the same creature that he saw on the day he bought Sentret. "Any last words before I put you in a coma?" He heard Arby's voice ask.

"Achoo." Rocky replied as he sneezed blood and snot all over Arby's face. Then Rocky felt Arby's blood stained hands wrap around his neck.

"You know that the worst mistake of your life was? THAT! Because now you ain't going to the hospital! You're going to the f*cking morgue!" Arby screamed.

Rocky gagged. "What's that? Have something to say?" Arby sneered as he let go of Rocky's neck.

"You know what the worst mistake of your life was? Selling me that Sentret. Because here's something I couldn't do with a Growlithe!" Rocky declared as suddenly he was able to see through Sentret's eyes. He saw the inside of the air vent.

Suddenly, the metal grate to the air vent directly above Rocky and Arby blasted out of the ceiling and hit Arby on his forehead. The grate was immediately followed by a falling Sentret which broke his fall by raking his stubby claws on Arby's face.

Despite his face being trashed, Rocky was on his feet in seconds, taking advantage of Arby being stunned. Something completely animal had taken control of Rocky. The same animal that had taken control of Rocky when he injured the two police officers the previous night.

Rocky bombarded Arby with a series of elbows to the face and ribs and knees to the lower torso and groin. When two of Arby's football team mates pulled Rocky off Arby, he dropped to the ground moaning and groaning in agony.

"YEAH! YOU WANT SOME MORE OF THIS!" Rocky bellowed but retained by the two jocks. But Sentret came to aid Rocky by running up the pant leg of one of the Arby's homeboys. He shrieked and let go of Rocky. Rocky took advantage of this by using his now free arm to throw an uppercut to the other guy's nose. At the same time, Sentret ripped out of the crotch of his victim's pants.

"YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT!" Rocky boasted, out of breath, injured, and delirious. "Anyone want a piece of this team?" He asked. Everyone from the normally arrogant popular crowd to the drug-loving stoners to the nerdy nobodies stared in shock and fear.

Rocky, the scrawny slum-dog, the insignificant nobody, the pitiful anonymous, had made a destructive transformation to the rebellious, psychotic, lunatic whom before them.

Teachers rushed in, trying to get through the crowd of students to break up the fight. Rocky noticed this and ran, but not before grabbing Arby's backpack, which he knew would contain the stolen Pokemon. The students, popular and unpopular alike, stepped out of the way, some in fear, others in respect.

Rocky felt like he was in a maze as he ran through the halls. All doors were locked in and out during school hours and he couldn't go out the way he came. As he ran, he examined each part of the school, knowing that it would be his last time there, probably. Rocky found himself on the roof of the school.

"Oh sh*t!" A teacher yelled as they followed him on the roof. "The kid is going to jump." _Idiots._ Rocky thought to himself. "Yes, I am about to jump! So back off! I'm not going to jail! I would rather die!" Rocky tried to be convincing. But the teachers were no longer paying attention to Rocky, they were paying attention to the Spearow flying at Rocky.

The tiny bird Pokemon slammed into Rocky, knocking him off the roof. Wind rushed by Rocky as he picked up speed and headed for the ground. It was only a fifty foot drop which should have lasted seconds but to Rocky, it was lasting minutes. He was already used to being about to die. But once again…

Pain shot through Rocky's arms as he attempted to grab onto a concrete ledge twenty feet down the side of the school. He bounced off, but it slowed his fall enough to grab onto a flagpole. Sentret hung tightly on his shoulder but Arby's backpack fell to the school parking lot below. Rocky looked up to see he had only fallen about twenty five feet.

It would have been easy for Rocky and Sentret to climb onto a ledge and then climb down the rain gutter to the ground. But it couldn't be that easy for Rocky. The Spearow was coming back for another attack.

"You've got to be kidding…" Rocky muttered with recognition of the Spearow. It was the same Spearow which attacked him the previous evening. But it now had a nasty scar jagging down its bird face as punishment from the rest of the flock. Rocky knew that the Spearow must be blaming him and Sentret for the scar since it was a punishment for failing to capture Sentret as diner.

_Think! _Rocky ordered himself. A plan began to put itself to together in Rocky's head. "Here bird! I'll show you a trick." Rocky taunted, intentionally luring it into his trap.

The Spearow dived from the sky above as Rocky climbed up on the ledge above the flagpole. He then grabbed the fabric of the flag and concealed himself seconds before the Spearow went at him with a Peck attack. Not seeing its target beyond the flag, Spearow missed when it tore right through the flag. Instead it hit the metal security grate over a window. Spearow's beak was stuck in it.

It rapidly flapped its tiny wings to escape but it was lodged in the grate to tightly. "Sorry bird." Rocky apologized as he started sliding down a rain gutter with Sentret. Once on the cement ground of the parking lot, he grabbed Arby's backpack. After checking to make sure that the Pokeballs were inside, he ran exited the parking lot and started running down the street.

For a split second Rocky considered not returning to Jackie Johnson, but instead keeping all ten Pokemon to himself. But he quickly pushed the thought away as he realized that there were already enough people on his tail trying to kill him. After checking to make sure nobody was following him, Rocky entered Jackie Johnson's beat up old van.

"Got 'em." Rocky declared triumphantly. Jackie looked at him with a blank stare. After a few seconds of silence, Jackie declared, "Damn, what the hell happened to you! Somebody messed up your face real badly! If you want to work for Team Rocket then you need to learn to handle yourself." Jackie warned.

"Hey, you think I look bad? You should take a look a Arby." Rocky retorted.

Jackie scoffed and then leapt out of the chair at a breakneck speed. Rocky didn't see the attack coming. He wasn't quite sure what happened but he was flat on his ass in a second with Jackie Johnson's leather boot on his neck.

"Any thug can rough up a soft rich boy like Arby. I like your spirit, but against a seasoned fighter you'd get your clock cleaned." Jackie growled as he took his foot off Rocky's neck.

"Um… yeah. I'll keep that in mind." Rocky coughed as he got up. Jackie grabbed the back pack and took out the Pokeballs.

"SH*T!" He exclaimed. "These are Security Pokeballs. They will not open with out a finger print scan, a voice command, an eye scan, and what not!"

"The security can't be bypassed?" Rocky asked.

"NO! This sh*t is state-of-the-art technology. Any attempts to break into the Pokeball will have considerable consequences." Jackie explained.

Rocky was about to complain but Jackie cut him off. "Well find a way to get these open and we'll give you two of them for the delayed payment. But you've got bigger problems."

"I can write a book on the problems I've accumulated in the past week." Rocky scoffed.

"Let me put it simple: The Goldenrod Wildflowers just rolled by in on of their beat up old cars, looking for you. I over heard it when they asked a homeless dude if he'd seen a kid that matches your description. He hasn't seen you but then after that a team of undercover cops with Growlithes rolled by in a back van looking and asked the same hobo."

"Oh crap." Rocky muttered as he sat down on the grungy floor of the van.

"Believe me: they're not the most dangerous people looking for you." Jackie informed.

"What!" Rocky yelled.

"Let's start off by you telling me where you got that Sentret." Jackie told Rocky.

"I brought him from Arby. I thought I was buying a Growlithe but instead he sold me this Sentret. When I first sent it out the Pokeball it was almost dead." Rocky explained.

"But do you notice something a little off about your Sentret…" Jackie asked in a hushed voice that caused everything to be creepier.

"What do you mean?" Rocky asked, getting scared.

"Here's what's going on: Arby's parents are big players in this huge corporation called PokeTech so Arby has access to some of their Pokemon. He likes to steal them and sell them so he can have money that's actually his, not his parents'. For the most part, his cute little business stayed off the grid. But apparently he stole some Pokemon that they didn't want him to steal. The Sentret is one of them."

"Holy sh*t! That explains it. I had my friend do a medical checkup on Sentret using the schools lab equipment. He says that something is up with Sentret's DNA." Rocky exclaimed.

"PokeTech is doing some serious illegal experimentation with Pokemon. Lately, there's been word going around on the street about some information leak in PokeTech. When this kind of thing happens, people start disappearing." Jackie warned.

Rocky's heart rate sky rocketed as he remembered that Erich's parents worked at PokeTech and they disappeared. Classico and Erich were now at Erich's house.

"MY FRIENDS ARE IN DANGER!" Rocky told Jackie as he got up to leave.

"Kid, YOU'RE in danger." Jackie Johnson told Rocky. "But I won't stop you from doing anything stupid. So here's my phone number, one thousand Poke, and one of the Security Balls. Good luck!"


	13. Chapter 12: Capture and Corruption

**Chapter Twelve: Capture and Corruption**

Rocky ran like hell down the street to the bus stop, always looking over his shoulder. Oddly, the sense of danger only made the street seem more empty. Rocky spotted the phone booth at a street corner and sprinted towards it. Knowing that all pay phones were equipped with electronic phone books, he figured he could look up the phone number for Erich's house, dial it, and assuming Erich and Classico were there searching the place, they would answer the phone and then Rocky could warn them.

After putting Sentret on top of the phone booth to keep watch, Rocky took a quick breather. _Having enemies does keep one in shape._ Rocky thought to himself humorously.

"Hey, someone's calling the house." One man said to his superior. They were inside of a truck in the suburbs of Northern Goldenrod City. The truck had PokeTech's label on it so nobody would be stupid enough to tow it.

"Excellent. I thought we did the smart thing by bugging the phone." The guy in charge declared as he put aside his coffee. "Ten Poke says the caller is friends with those kids that just snuck in the house. I also thought we did the smart thing by not acting yet."

"You sure do make a big deal out of it when you're right." A member of the surveillance team complained.

"I'm right all the time. That's why I'm the boss here." He sneered.

"Shh! He's answering!" Someone hissed as they turned up the volume on the surveillance technology.

"Um… Hello." A nervous voice answered.

"Classico? Is that you! This is Rocky. I'm calling on a pay phone right now but, I believe that you and Erich are in danger. Get out of Erich's house." Rocky warned.

"Why, what's going on?" Classico asked.

"I'll explain latter. Just do it!" Rocky yelled.

"Somebody trace that call!" The boss yelled. "I think our employer would like to have a chat these nosy kids."

Rocky decided it would be smartest to return to Classico's apartment and wait for him and Erich there. But the chances of making it there were slim. Rocky looked up to see the Spearow had escaped and was flying towards him for another attack. Then he looked behind him to see the Growlithe puppy galloping down the sidewalk, spitting balls of flame, and eager to prove his strength and loyalty to his master.

Sentret let out a whimper and clung tightly to Rocky's shoulder. It occurred to Rocky that Sentret was still recovering and had been through a lot so he would not be able to battle the Spearow or Growlithe.

As usual, Rocky formed a plan. He ran down a grungy alley way and stood in the middle. The Growlithe soon entered the alleyway and unleashed its roar which caused Sentret to grow practically petrified in fear.

Meanwhile, a screech from above announced the Spearow diving in at Rocky. _I gotta time this perfectly._ Rocky thought to himself as he took several steps backwards. Just as the Growlithe leaped, Rocky ducked, and the Spearow flew over his head and crashed into the Growlithe whom let out a yip of pain.

"See ya suckers!" Rocky gloated as he started sprinting out of the alley way. As he stepped onto the street, he noticed a beat up sport car rolling down the road in serious need of a muffler. Rocky's blood froze as he noticed the red rose with a knife as a stem painted on the hood of the car. It was the Goldenrod Wildflowers. Rocky tried to run but a Raticate leaped out the window of the car and landed in front of Rocky. Before Rocky could react, the Raticate jumped at Rocky and smacked him in the head with his tail, knocking him unconscious for the Goldenrod Wildflowers to capture.

"Here's the plan." The boss of the surveillance team announced after taking a sip of coffee. "We've managed to identify the kids. The first is Erich Jaeger. It's his parents' house we are watching. But the second kid creates a problem. His name is Classico Colley. I can't find any records on his parents but Classico's older brother is a Pokemon Police Agent and his sister is some big shot scientist which makes this kid a high profile target. However, we've identified his friend on the phone as Rocky, no last name, but our employer already wanted this kid alive. In the newspaper this morning, a character was described that reminded me of him. Now, here's the plan..."

"Rocky said to get out of here!" Classico warned as he peaked through the curtains.

"I know my parents left some evidence lying around." Erich complained as he tore apart their office. "You said your mother was a prosecutor, right? We can get the evidence to her."

"You don't understand. I'm not in contact with my mother. If the connection between us is traced then some of her enemies can use me to get to her. Her work is too important for me or my siblings to get in the way." Classico explained.

"But isn't your older brother a Pokemon Police Agent? Doesn't he make dangerous enemies in his line of work?" Erich asked, curiously.

"Yes, but he isn't singled out. Any hatred towards him is hatred towards the entire Pokemon Police plus his identity in hidden in much of his work. It's different. Your identity is a lot more protected when you work for law enforcement." Classico explained.

Their conversation was interrupted by the door being smashed open. "Goldenrod Police Department! Hands on your heads!" A voice screamed.

Both Erich and Classico did as they were told. "You are under arrest for disrupting a crime scene!" Erich was cuffed first but the man in charge of the team stared at Classico. "Hey! You're Agent Terry Colley's brother! What are you doing here?" He asked, angrily. "I would have expected more from you. Disrupting crime scenes, withholding evidence, aiding and abetting criminals,-"

"What! I never helped any cr-" Classico started to protest but then stopped. "Rocky." He whispered. "But Rocky is just an overzealous thug! I was only trying to keep him out of trouble."

The police officer sighed. "We need to have a chat. If I am correct, you are going enrolling in the Pokemon Police academy in a couple days. We wouldn't want this little incident to ruin your future." He said as he put his arm around Classico and led him outside.

"Now tell me the whole story." He ordered. Classico started from the beginning where Rocky brought Sentret all the way to the end where they started searching Erich's house.

The police officer's bushy mustache shook as he chuckled. "Your brave and intelligent. You'll make a great cop but you have one serious flaw: You're gullible and naïve."

"How's that?" Classico asked as they sat down in the police van.

The cop sighed then said, "Rocky has been playing you like a puppet this entire time."

Classico went silent. The police officer took out his brief case and opened it. Then he told Classico, "You know how Rocky has a very mysterious past."

Classico nodded, trying very hard to keep his cool as he was very upset. "It took some digging to find this, but it's true: Rocky was seriously abused as a child. The result is that he is a sociopath. He doesn't care about right or wrong or if his actions affect others. The school counselor confirmed this."

"THAT- ISN'T- TRUE!" Classico growled through clenched teeth.

"Look, I know he was your friend and I know how you feel right now. My partner whom I worked with for years turned out to be taking bribes. It took me a week to get out of denial. Here's the evidence!" The cop showed Classico the newspaper clipping.

"Rocky tried to kill those cops! And this morning, he entered school and this is what he and his Sentret did to that Arby Jones guy you told me about." The Police Officer laid out several photos of Arby Jones' maimed face, broken ribs, and what not.

"He is in the hospital right now. Reports say that teachers at your school chased Rocky and cornered him on the roof where he threatened to kill himself.

"All of this is circumstantial." Classico declared as tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Rocky was clearly using you as a tool in order to keep himself out of trouble." The Officer told him. "But let's change the subject. I'll clear up this business with your friend, Erich."

"Yeah, his parents found some incriminating evidence against PokeTech so PokeTech had them kidnapped." Classico muttered.

"Well actually, they stole a large amount of money from PokeTech and then fled the country. I have the case file right here." He slid the folder over to Classico. "The evidence is all there. We were trying to track them down as they probably left clues as to where they were going but you and your friend destroyed a lot of evidence so we probably won't find them. Besides, we're Goldenrod Police so they're outside our jurisdiction."

It slowly occurred to Classico that everything appeared to make sense. "Rocky just encouraged the theory that there was some kind of conspiracy in order to get you out of your apartment so he can ransack it for valuables which he can hock for his own needs, probably running away." The Officer informed Classico.

Classico was still for several seconds and then he leaped out of the chair and punched the table in fury.

"I went through this when I figured out how my old two faced partner was using me." He told Classico as an other officer led him away. "Take him back to his apartment." He ordered his fellow officer. Once he had privacy, the man ripped off the fake mustache, wig, and glasses. Then he took out a cell phone and called a number.

"Yes, is it all taken care of?" A voice asked on the other end.

"Yep. These cop uniforms are dead useful. I used some of my connections to implant some falsified records and some hired thugs to plant evidence such as breaking into Classico Colley's apartment. The Colley kid has been dealt with and so had this thing with the Jaegers. But I'm assuming you want our boy Rocky for yourself rather than the police or local gangs." He asked his boss.

"Yes. Oh, and very good work so far, Mr. X. But we've still got a few more loose ends to tie up. Stay on your feet until I give you the next job."

"No problem, boss." Mr. X replied as he put away his phone.


	14. Chapter 13: The Perfect Storm

**Chapter Thirteen: The Perfect Storm**

Rocky awoke with a throbbing pain on his forehead and blurry vision. "Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty." Taunted a female voice. Rocky's vision slowly became clearer.

He was sitting in the seat of a car but chained up. Sitting on either side of him was the twins, Rose and Violet. They appeared to be in the backseat of an SUV. Two gang members sat in the front, driving it, while several other gang members on ATVs circled the vehicle.

"Where's my Sentret?" Rocky muttered groggily.

"In the backseat, in a cage. As it recognizes you as its master, which even for such a weak Pokemon we find surprising, we believe it necessary for it to watch you die " Violet told Rocky with a evil grin.

Rocky managed to keep his cool as he asked, "Why is that, Violet."

"How'd you know I was Violet and not Rose?" Violet asked, curiously but somewhat cautiously.

"Yeah, most people can't tell us apart." Rose commented, also eager to know. Rocky hesitated as if he were about to touch an electric fence. "Violet is hotter." He snickered. Violet laughed as Rose elbowed Rocky in the face causing thick droplets of blood to spray from his nose.

But Rocky didn't break. He figured that if he were going to die, then he was going to have a good time before dying. "Oh no! I'm not at all implying that you aren't attractive…"

Both of the gang members sitting in the front seat of the SUV snickered, unable to retain their laughter.

This time it was Violet that elbowed Rocky in the face. Rocky already had his face beat by Arby earlier so many old wounds were opening up. Though he wouldn't admit it, the girls hit harder than Arby.

"The next smart-ass comment earns you a strike to a very, very painful place!" Violet yelled. Rocky was silent for a moment, then he decided to get serious. "So where we headed?"

Rose replied, "To the corporate district, for your formal execution. Consider yourself fortunate that your death will be well known. We are going to throw you off a skyscraper and your blood will stain the sparkly clean streets."

"Why not kill me more subtlety?" Rocky asked, curiously.

"Wow, I'm impressed. Your taking the news of your upcoming death lightly." Violet commented. "But if you must know… let's say that the Goldenrod Wildflowers are taking a few steps up in the natural order of things. Our gang has been bought by some very powerful and important people who don't like you. You know to much."

"PokeTech." Rocky muttered. "The Goldenrod Wildflowers work for PokeTech?"

Rose continued the story. "They heard about your brush with us and they told us that they could use a powerful hold in the ghetto. With something as powerful as PokeTech backing us, then all of our other rival gangs will submit to our rule and the entire ghetto will be ours. The Southside Crew, The 13th Street Kings, The Slash… We'll have the leaders of those gangs kissing our feet for forgiveness once we've proven our loyalty to PokeTech and we represent the mammoth corporation."

"Sorry to interrupt your megalomaniac rant, but I have another question. And since I'm going to die, I don't think you have a problem with me knowing too much, right?" Rocky requested.

"What?" Rose asked, rolling her eyes.

"PokeTech usually does their dirty work very secretly and subtlety. It makes sense that they'd have a gang kill me, but why kill me for the world to see?" Rocky asked. Rocky already knew the answer to the question. If he were thrown off a skyscraper, it would serve as an example as to what happens when someone crosses PokeTech. Rocky didn't want to exist after death as a tool of PokeTech and he didn't want his little brother, Ted, to see his older brother's body splattered on the pavement, over and over again on the news.

"So everyone knows what happens when you mess with our employer." Violet told him.

"And what happens to my Sentret?" Rocky asked, gloomily.

"What do you mean by '_your_ Sentret'?" Rose asked. "That little scrap of fur is property of PokeTech and it will be returned to them."

"Actually, I bought and paid for him. He's mine." Rocky retorted angrily.

"Don't make me rip your balls off." Violet growled.

Rocky defended himself by saying, "I bought it from this dude named Arby Jones. He stole it from PokeTech. If anyone deserves to get thrown off a building for crossing your employer, it's him!"

Rose replied, "No, Arby redeemed himself by giving us a call to let us know that you stopped by the school. Because of him, as well as a tip-off from PokeTech, we found you so easily."

Rocky was silent but more furious than he'd been in his entire life. He wasn't mad about Arby selling him out, he was mad about that everything else. Rocky was furious about Arby getting away with stealing the Sentret because he came from a rich family, furious about being chosen to be murdered as an example, furious about the entire hierarchy of society. He was furious about the people with the most power were the ones that deserved the least power. He was furious about being downtrodden his entire life. _I'm going to live and then I'm going to let out some of this rage. I'm going to turn the hierarchy upside down. _

The SUV and the convoy of ATVs entered an underground parking garage of a very tall skyscraper.

"Hey ladies, what's with the trash your lugging around?" Arby asked as he climbed out of his Corvette, gesturing to Rocky whom Rose and Violet were dragging outside the SUV. Rocky didn't respond as he was in some kind of trance, though the sight of Arby's bandaged face gave Rocky a twinge of satisfaction. Observing every little detail of his surroundings, Rocky was hoping to see an escape opportunity. But it wasn't looking good for him. He counted about fifty gang members, he, himself, was bound in chain, and he was severely beaten and exhausted which caused him to feel lightheaded and weary and certainly not up to any grand escape.

As Arby pushed him into an elevator, Rocky finally considered giving into death._ Who knows, maybe I'll become a martyr. Maybe I'll inspire a revolution upon the injustice of this society. Maybe Classico, Jazzy, Erich, Ted, and possibly a few others will hook up. Maybe PokeTech's plan will backfire. Maybe rather than striking fear into the heart's of their peasants by killing me, they'll instead ignite a revolt. _

The elevator door opened and Arby dragged Rocky onto the last floor of the poorly secured office building. Then he dragged him up a maintenance staircase and onto the roof, followed by Rose and Violet and several other gang members. The roof was large, two thousand feet above the ground, and scattered with antennas, air ducts, air conditioners, satellites, and what not.

Rocky seemed to felt a source of power coming from the sky where a dark storm cloud was forming. Lightning forks danced on the horizon. Rocky wondered if the other gang members could sense the energy radiating from the stormy sky.

Arby and the twins placed Rocky on the very edge of the roof. "Any last words, worm?" Arby sneered.

"You can kill me, but the plan will backfire. Contrary to popular high school belief, I have friends. You'll only inspire a fight." Rocky growled.

Arby let out a cackle. "You mean Classico Colley? I admit he would have been a friend a high place-"

"_Would have_?" Rocky asked, suspiciously.

"He isn't your friend anymore. Our people told him some things about you. He believed them. The little boyscout is now committed to putting you behind bars. To bad he won't get the chance." Arby informed a now heart broken Rocky.

_I'm completely alone. Maybe I should just die._ Rocky suggested to himself. Then Rocky realized, _I'm never alone._

_oOo_

The two gang members guarding the SUV in the underground parking lot were sharing a cigarette. But they were interrupted from their smoke as they heard a crash inside of the SUV. The opened up the trunk to see the Sentret thrashing around in its cage.

"I thought this weak thing was already doped? Hey, your Haunter knows Hypnosis attack. Maybe you can put it out like that until those people stop by take the Sentret away." The first gang member suggested.

"Okay, but why is it glowing?" The other gang member asked. Without warning, the Sentret smashed the cage open and leapt out of the SUV.

"Get it!" The Wildflower yelled. But it was too late. The Sentret was tiny but incredibly fast. It disappeared inside an air vent.

_oOo_

Rocky wasn't sure if he were hallucinating or if his Sentret's thoughts were really entering his head. Either way, he tried to buy himself time.

"So, a spoiled little rich boy like you is really going to dirty your hands with this sort of thing?" Rocky taunted Arby.

Arby replied, "I've been thinking that the sheltered and safe lifestyle of an aristocrat isn't what I want. But seeing action, selling contraband items is definitely worth it."

"You really think you're all that and a bag 'o chips, do you 'eh?" Rocky continued to talk. "But you're really just a soft little bitch trying to be a big man by playing gangsta." Rocky spat.

Arby stepped forward and pushed Rocky off the building, but grabbed the end of the chain so Rocky's life literally hung in the hands of Arby. "Take that back!" He yelled.

"Why? I'm going to die anyway." Rocky pointed out, trying to keep his cool as he dangled off the edge of a two thousand foot building. After, taking a deep breath, Rocky asked Arby, "How bad-ass would you feel if I wasn't chained up and you didn't have a double digit number of cronies watching your back. Actually, when have you ever not had cronies watching your back. You'd probably crap your pants if you were ever in a fight without mommy and daddy's money and power and all your steroid-pumped homeboys."

"TAKE THAT BACK! I CAN KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!" Arby bellowed. Rocky smiled. His plan was working.

"If you can prove me wrong, then I'll take it all back with an apology." Rocky laughed. Arby's eyebrows narrowed, meaning that he was thinking about it. Arby pulled Rocky off the edge and kicked him on the ground. "Someone unchain this piece of crap." He ordered.

Rose and Violet said at the same time, "This will be interesting." A gang member unchained Rocky who stumbled to his feet. Arby took off his jacket and football jersey to reveal a very muscular body. The many gang members started to chant, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT…"

To everyone's surprise, Rocky let out a condescending chuckle. "Oh, I didn't mean this kind of fight. I think I already proved how pathetic you are without friends in this kind of fight, earlier today at the school."

A confused look appeared on everyone's face. Then to everyone except Rocky's shock, Sentret busted out of an air duct on the roof and hopped onto Rocky's shoulder. Rocky, the malnourished slum-dog, bruised, sore, and bloody all over from the previous week's events, with a very malnourished, abused, and weak juvenile Sentret on his shoulder, going up against Arby Jones, the ripped football player whom had an arsenal of well trained and cared for Pokemon. And fully confident with a dark stormy sky behind him, Rocky actually looked formidable.

Rocky said very loudly, "When I said fight, I meant… POKEMON BATTLE!"


	15. Chapter 14: Final Showdown

**Chapter Fourteen: Final Showdown**

Arby laughed until he was clutching his ribs in pain. However, Rose and Violet took Rocky a little more seriously. "Are you a complete idiot?!" Rose exclaimed, flabbergasted.

Violet yelled, "If you even had an IQ above fifty you would have threatened to throw the Sentret off this building if we didn't meet your demands."

"I guess I have an even better plan." Rocky shrugged.

Arby finally recovered from his fit of laughter. Then he sneered at Rocky, "When I first came across that Sentret, I had no idea that it could end up being this significant. I stole my father's security pass to get into some of PokeTech's labs so I could steal some of the experimental Pokemon. I thought that Sentret would die from the shock of entering a Pokeball, it was and still is so weak."

Rose cut in, "Despite how weak it is, that Sentret is worth a lot to PokeTech so don't hurt it too badly as you capture it."

"Right, now I'll pay you back for this afternoon, motherf*cker!" Arby yelled. "Go, Beedrill!" He threw his Pokeball and a red flash of light shot out of it an materialized into a menacing Beedrill.

Rocky smiled. This was his very first formal Pokemon battle and he was loving it. He had seen the ritual of it on live tournaments playing on TV with big-shot professional Pokemon Trainers. Rocky thought on TV as well as the battles he saw in the street, that Pokemon Battling looked cool. He was wrong. It was beyond cool. The adrenaline pumping though his veins, the butterflies in his stomach, all made Rocky feel so alive.

"Sentret, I CHOOSE YOU!" Rocky roared as Sentret leaped off his shoulder. _Okay, 'I choose you' is a little cheesy, _Rocky admitted to himself.

"We don't want to hurt the little weakling, Beedrill. Trap it with your String Shot Attack!" Arby commanded. The Beedrill obeyed and sprayed a webbing from its mouth at Sentret. But Rocky was one step ahead. He had already gone over the statistics of the battle and formed a strategy.

"Dodge it, Sentret!" Rocky ordered. Sentret used his tail as a spring to launch himself off the ground a split second before the web hit. Sentret then landed on an air conditioning unit. The Beedrill tried again with another String Shot.

"Stay on the vent!" Rocky ordered. Sentret stepped out of the way slightly so that the String Shot attack missed, and just as Rocky planned, it went through the vent and over the fan which began winding up the web which Beedrill was still attached to. The fan pulled Beedrill in and before it could detach itself from the web, Sentret leapt forward at it with a Tackle Attack.

To Rocky's disappointment, the attack didn't hurt the Beedrill much since Sentret didn't really pack much power.

"Oh, I see your strategy. Smart, trying to use Sentret's small size combined with its speed against my Beedrill. But It won't work, 'cause your puny worm can't match my Beedrill's speed." Arby declared. Then yelled at Beedrill, "Agility!"

Beedrill began to move so fast that it was just a black and yellow blur to Rocky's eyes.

Rose told Arby, in an annoyed tone of voice, "Arby, quit messing around. Just capture the Sentret, knock Rocky off the building, then we can go out to a night club to celebrate our gang's newfound power."

Arby frowned. "Right, of course." He complied. "As much as I enjoy a final showdown, Rocky is too weak."

"Let's see your Sentet evade this sh*t." Arby sneered before ordering Beedrill to use a Pin Missile attack. Several sharp spears flew off Beedrill's arms, but instantly regrew.

Rocky knew that there wasn't any hope of evading the attack. "Sentret- use you're Defense Curl!" He ordered.

Sentret curled up in a ball and began to glow as the defensive move went into effect. The bombardment of bug type pins hit Sentret. The damage was greatly reduced by the Defense Curl but Rocky knew that Sentret would not be able to survive another attack.

"Ha, ha, now for the final gift wrap technique." Arby laughed as

Rocky turned to see the same majestic creature. It too, appeared to be apart of Rocky's slow motion state. Rocky's head then erupted with a sharp pain as an image of a lab full of tubes containing Pokemon eggs flashed before his eyes. Then a distant memory of a man walking down the street holding a small child. Rocky recognized the street. He had lived on that street for the last ten years. _My father! _Rocky realized. The man was practically a walking shadow. He wore a black suit with a red tie and a top hat which shaded his face. IT didn't help that it was the middle of the night. He entered the apartment building where Rocky lived. Then he walked up the old stair case to the floor Rocky lived on.

The man moved like a phantom, with long, silent strides. Soon he reached the apartment where Rocky lived. He placed the baby, wrapped in blanket on the door step. "Sorry, buddy. But this will be safer for you. I won't last much longer with these people after me but I can't let them get you to." He whispered in a sad, raspy voice.

"Dad?" Rocky asked in a shaky voice as he approached the man. He turned around but just before Rocky could see his face, the entire flashback dissolved and Rocky was back on the rooftop in the heat of battle.

"NO, SENTRET!" Rocky roared as the Pokeball closed in on Sentret. As though Rocky's strength poured into Sentret, the tiny Pokemon leapt off the ground and smacked the Pokeball with his tail, whapping it in Beedrill's direction. The large bug type Pokemon did not see the breakneck speed change of events as the Pokeball hit it and captured it.

"Looks like you've captured your own Pokemon." Rocky laughed before commanding Sentret to knock it off the side of the building.

"Hey, what the f*ck kind of cheap sh*t are you pulling?" Arby bellowed as he watched his Beedrill, trapped inside a Pokeball, fall to the ground. But the Beedrill was still in good health so it was strong enough to break out of the Pokeball and then start buzzing its insect wings as fast as it could in order to return to the roof.

"Do you really think your Beedrill is strong enough to buzz its way back up here?" Rocky asked, challengingly.

Arby slowly realized Rocky was right. "And even if your Beedrill does make it up here, it will be too tired to fight." Rocky pointed out.

They peered off the sky scraper and saw that already the little speck of yellow and black wasn't growing any bigger. "AAAH! Beedrill, return!" Arby whined, not wanting his Pokemon to be splattered over the pavement.

"It's out of range for a Pokeball, dumbass." Rocky sneered. "Not for a Pokeball." Arby sneered back as he yelled, "Go, Golbat!"

A large purple, bat-like Pokemon emerged from Arby's Pokeball. "Sentret, Tackle!" Rocky ordered.

"HEY! Golbat is supposed to rescue Beedrill, not battle your worm!" Arby complained.

"Tough sh*t, little bitch!" Rocky yelled back as Sentret rammed into Golbat. Golbat, whom was more eager to save its teammate, smacked Sentret off it with its wing. But Rocky caught Sentret as the Golbat turned its back, then he threw Sentret back at Goldbat.

Sentret slammed Golbat in the back with another Tackle attack, this time pinning the bat Pokemon against a rooftop air ventilator, which smashed and broke upon the impact. Being caught in a machine breaking down took Golbat out of the picture. "Return Golbat!" Arby cried.

"Looks like your Beedrill is in fine condition, meaning that it survived the fall after getting tired of resisting gravity." Rocky pointed out.

Violet along with Rose, lost her temper. "This has gone on long enough. This is what's going to happen: We kill Rocky and without a trainer the Sentret will fall into disarray so then we could capture it."

Arby nodded. "This is my last Pokemon: Go, Machoke!" He sent out the gray fighting Pokemon.

"Go, Ratticate." The twins squealed at the same time as they sent out the two rat Pokemon.

_Two well seasoned Raticates and a highly cared for Machoke against my Sentret. _Rocky examined, gloomily. By that point, the sun had set and the lights of the city were shining brightly like stars on the ground. Rocky loved the feeling of being high above the city.

"Face it, you're going to die and we are going to turn your Sentret back over to PokeTech." Rose informed Rocky.

Violet added, "Do you really think you can win?"

The crowd of gang members chimed in, harassing Rocky. "No…" Rocky whispered. "I don't think I can win."

Arby grinned. "We know we can win." Rocky declared as he looked Sentret in the eyes. At that moment Sentret started flickering, like a light bulb rapidly being turned on and off. All the gang members, including Arby, muttered their confusion. But Rose and Violet did not appear to be confused. "It's having an seizure. The contact at PokeTech told us about this side effect. Quickly, we must contain it in a cryogenic freeze before the seizure causes any neural damage!" Violet ordered as she took out an odd Pokeball with a medical symbol on it.

"ATTACK!" The twins and Arby yelled at once. The two Ratticate and the Machoke leapt through the air at Sentret. But just and they landed and surrounded the suffering Pokemon, their was an incredibly loud blast and a blinding flash of light. The three attacking Pokemon were blasted off their feet and landed several feet back.

When their eyes recovered from the flash, nobody, not even Rocky, could believe what they were seeing in the dent on the roof.

The weaknesses of the Sentret were gone. The signs of malnutrition, assorted injuries, trauma, and what not… they were all gone. In its place stood a formidable shape. In the Sentret's place stood a Furret. Sentret had evolved.

Everybody was silent for a solid moment. Then Rose declared, "PokeTech will be most interested in this change of events. The plan doesn't change."

Violet agreed, "Right, Ratticate, Body Slam!" The large rat Pokemon sprung off the ground with its powerful hind legs and began to fall on Furret. But Furret used his long tail to push himself off the ground and pass the Ratticate, but grab its tail.

"Ratticate, Quick Attack!" Rose told her Ratticate as it bounded into battle to help its partner. But Furret, using his grip on Ratticate's tail, threw the large rat Pokemon at its partner, whom did not see it coming.

But the Ratticate that landed on top wasn't hurt too badly and charged Furret again. At the same time, but on the other end of Furret, Arby ordered Machoke to use a Low Kick attack.

"Duck!" Rocky yelled. Furret flattened himself on the ground as Machoke's powerful kick soared over him and instead hit the advancing Ratticate, whom sailed back twenty feet and landed back on top of the other Ratticate, which saw to it that it stayed on the ground, as did the Ratticate that took the Low Kick.

Rocky recalled many times in school when two kids on in a fight and one kid tried to kick the other. The other kid would grab his attackers leg and then kick the opposite leg out from underneath him, causing his ass to wind up on the ground.

"Sweep the legs!" Rocky yelled. Furret smacked the Machoke's leg with its tail, knocking the large Pokemon on its back. "Now Fury Swipes!" Rocky ordered, embracing the heat of battle.

Furret hopped on top of Machoke's head and then unleashed a Fury Swipes technique on the large fighting Pokemon's face.

Arby moaned with annoyance. "You stupid oaf! Get that Sen- I mean Furret!" He yelled as he stretched his face with his hands. Suddenly Rocky got an idea. An evil idea.

"Furret, attack Arby!" Rocky ordered, enjoying the look on Arby's face. As Furret ran, snarling, over to Arby, the Machoke got off the ground and sprinted after the furry Pokemon, enraged by pain.

Arby was expecting the Furret to leap at his face and maul it so he lifted his hands in defense. But instead the Sentret leaped over Arby's head as soon as he reached Arby's feet. Machoke, whom was only concentrated on Furret, crashed right into Arby, his trainer. As this happened, Furret came back down with its best Tackle attack. The attack knocked out both Arby and his Machoke.

"It's over. I win." Rocky declared, coldly.


	16. Chapter 15: Loose Ends

**Chapter Fifteen: Loose Ends**

Rose and Violet both gave condescending chuckles. "Are you kidding? There's still, like, twenty more Wildflowers up here to defeat if you want to walk away." Violet sneered.

Rose order, "Hear that guys? Send out all your Pokemon and attack!" Nobody moved a muscle though. Rocky wondered what was happening, but then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

A small female voice spoke up over the ground, "Rocky beat both of you. He is now the leader of the Goldenrod Wildflowers."

Rocky's jaw dropped. He- Rocky the loser slumdog, the worthless wallflower, now the indisputable leader of the fearsome Goldenrod Wildflowers. It was unreal.

Violet turned around to see who said that. It was a rather short girl with two pig tails, dressed in overalls, and covered with engine grease. "Who asked you, Kaylee?" Rose snarled.

A particularly large looking wildflower whom Rocky recognized as Dunlop, a gang member that was ordered to subdue him the previous night, spoke up, "Duh, uh… actually ladies, Kaylee's right. We ain't cho bitches no more."

Slowly, the Wildflowers chimed in and denounced the twins' leadership. Rocky was slowly taking it in. Arby stood up, clearly delirious from the fight. "You can't do this!" They screamed as they stood next Arby.

Arby blinked several times. "Ah… don't worry. I was never an official member of this gang so I'm still with you two."

Violet and Rose looked at him with disgust. "The only reason I even associated myself with you is for your money! Violet shrieked.

Rose desperately tried to reason with the gang, "Okay, so we aren't your leaders. That's fair. But you can't possibly follow trash like Rocky! We have a reputation to enforce."

Kaylee once again spoke up. "That trash-" she pointed at Rocky- "Defeated you in a Pokemon battle. Tradition is tradition. He is the new leader."

Violet screamed, "Well there is no way in HELL that I'm accepting him as my leader. Rose and I are defecting from the gang and starting our own gang. Whose with us?"

Nobody raised their hand. A look of extreme fear appeared on Rose's face. "Oh hell! What about PokeTech. They won't tolerate this failure, let alone betrayal."

Rocky realized that the gang needed a leader to speak for them. "The Goldenrod Wildflowers owns the streets of South Goldenrod, not PokeTech. They won't follow us into the shadows."

Arby, still delirious from the fight, muttered, "Better listen to him. Rocky's da man now." Both Violet and Rose bellowed out of pure rage and kicked Arby at the same time. Rocky watched in horror as Arby stumbled backwards and tripped over the edge of the roof. Everyone stood in silence as they heard Arby's horrific screaming before a sickening splat announced his death two thousand some feet bellow.

"You murders…" Rocky whispered. In his opinion, Arby deserved a lot of things, but death was not one of them.

Rose and Violet slowly realized that they had just committed homicide. As they started sprinting away, several gang members, including Kaylee, grabbed them.

A plan immediately spawned to life in Rocky's head. "Now listen up ladies." He growled. "Arby had very rich and powerful parents whom will see to it that their son's killer experiences some _extreme_ punishment. However, you also failed to kill me so PokeTech will want your asses on a platter. Are you seeing a connection here?" Rocky explained.

Rocky saw the confusion on their faces. "You are to do exactly what I say and we will both be safe, temporarily, from PokeTech's wrath. You go to your contact and tell them that I am dead. The body that is now decomposing on the side walk right now is mine. And as for my Sentret, well I know that you already called PokeTech and told them that you have the Sentret so you tell them that I tried to fool you guys. I captured a wild Sentret to deceive everyone whereas the Sentret they want, _my_ Sentret, is nowhere to be found. But before you threw me off the building, you tortured me for information. I revealed that I thought it would be best to release the Sentret into the Azalea Forest. It's up to you to make up the finer details to confirm that information."

"That lie is good, but it won't last." Rose criticized.

"I know." Rocky replied. "Arby's body is incredibly disfigured from the fall but they will see through the crap soon. By that time both of us need to be gone. Fall off the face of the earth. Understand?" Rocky asked. "As much as I wish for you two to face PokeTech's wrath, I need your help, as you need mine."

"What do you know about being on the lam?" Rose asked. Violet said, "Yeah, if you get caught, it's our asses to."

Rocky replied, smugly, "What do you know about fending for yourself without a bunch of friends watching your back? If you get caught, it's my ass to."

Rose sighed. "Right. We have a deal." She agreed.

"Get 'em out of here." Rocky ordered. He realized how odd it felt to be respected.

The gang members stared at him as he paced over to the edge of the roof and sat down. "What now…" He wondered. So much had happened in the past week and he was overwhelmed. It boggled him that Sentret had evolved so soon. It was unnatural. But he reminded himself that he wasn't normal as the Furret curled up next to him.

"Want a beer?" A voice asked. Rocky turned to see Kaylee, whom had taken two beers from the cooler which Rocky figured was originally for celebrating his death.

"Uh… sure." Rocky agreed.

She sat down next to him, staring over the city at night. "You know, the Goldenrod Wildflowers weren't always like this." She informed him.

"What do you mean?" Rocky asked.

"We used to be honorable with a code." She answered. "The gang started decades ago. We were originally a faction of Team Rocket. The leader was recruiting teenagers whom were and still are vulnerable to gangs. He told them that Team Rocket was their ticket to money that they never had living in the ghetto. But one teenager didn't like Team Rocket's abuse of Pokemon so they defected. Of course Team Rocket tried to reclaim their turf and there was a gang war. The leader of the gang whom is now a legend, organized the gang into the Goldenrod Wildflowers and defeated drove Team Rocket out of South Goldenrod."

"Wow…" Rocky had no idea of the origin of the gang. Kaylee took a swig of beer and then continued. "We had a code. But a year ago, Violet and Rose took over after the old leader was exiled for… well that's a long story. Anyway we haven't had a decent leader in years. But that will end now-" Rocky cut her off.

"Sorry, but I can't stay in Goldenrod. PokeTech will find out what really happened here tonight and they won't stop until I'm dead. Their power base isn't infinite though. I can keep running from them." Rocky explained.

"But like you said, we own the streets of South Goldenrod, not them." Kaylee pointed out, wanting Rocky to stay.

"Trust me, they will find someone to do their dirty work. I must get out of the city." Rocky told her.

"We can protect you!" Kaylee bargained.

"No. Nobody will get hurt or killed for being in between me and the consequences for my actions." Rocky vowed. Kaylee had a look of respect in her eyes but then told Rocky, "Without a leader there will be fighting and we will be weak."

"What about a second in command?" Rocky asked.

"Yes, Violet and Rose shared equal leadership and they had Arby as the second in command."

"Well, then I make you my second in command." Rocky decided. "But shouldn't you take the time to get to know each member. And there is a more formal ceremony for naming the leader as well as the second in command." Kaylee said.

"I don't have time." Rocky said urgently. "I need to more and fast."

"Okay, but trust me, the tattoo is worth your time. It can get you into certain circles that normally you wouldn't be able to access." Kaylee informed him.

"Tattoo?" Rocky asked confused.

"Yes, the leader of every gang has a specific tattoo. It will give you the power to name me second in command and what not."

"Okay, but make it fast. I have one more stop to make before I book." Rocky revealed.

oOo

Rocky climbed the stairs to the old apartment building, Furret running next to him. The personality hadn't changed much. Rocky still felt that Furret was almost a reflection of Rocky. But the evolution caused him to be so much stronger than the Pokemon's previous form.

Rocky sighed and knocked on the door. _This ought to be good._ Rocky thought as his step father opened the door to see Rocky standing there with a Furret on his shoulder and a gang tattoo on his upper bicep.

"What the…" He grumbled, clearly drunk.

"I'm here to see me mother." Rocky told him coldly.

He chuckled. "But this is my home and you owe me an explanation as to where you've been and what you've done before I let you through."

"Okay. To make a long story short, I kept that Sentret that you told me to kill and then I defeated the leaders of a gang with him and now I am there new official leader but I have some people after me so I need to leave town but I'd like to say good bye to my mother and brother first." Rocky explained. As his step father tried to comprehend it as Rocky pushed his way through.

"Mom." Rocky nodded. She was sitting at the kitchen table. Ted rushed in and gawked at the Furret. "IT evawved!" He gasped in his baby voice.

"I'm leaving. It's for the better." He told her. His mother was in a state of shock. But before she could reply, his step father boomed in, "YOU AIN"T GOING NOWHERE! I'm putting you to work in the garage." He declared.

But Rocky was through being under anyone's heel. "I have a Pokemon, so try and stop me."

To his surprise, the man laughed. Then he took a Pokeball out of his pocket. "Go Primate!" He bellowed as he sent out an ape Pokemon.

"I'm going to say this once: give me five minutes with my mother and brother and then you never see me again." Rocky bargained.

"It doesn't work that way. You still do what I say." He yelled at Rocky.

"Well, old man, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but…" Rocky snapped his fingers. Two gang members followed Rocky inside the apartment and a knock on the window leading out to the fire escape announced several more outside.

"Still want to try and stop me?" Rocky asked.

He then had some quiet time with his mother and brother. Rocky sat down next to them on the couch.

"I really don't want to know what you've been up to lately, especially if you truly are your fathers son." His mother started to say, still in a ghostly state. "But before you leave, there is something you need to know…"

Rocky wondered what it could possibly be. "I'm not your real mother." She told him. Rocky couldn't believe what he was hearing but as he slowly got around the idea, he realized that he was feeling relief. The weak, frail, insecure woman whom put up with her abusive oaf of a husband, was in fact not his mother and Rocky no longer needed to feel ashamed of it. But then he realized that it was just one more question to haunt him.

"D-do you know who my real mother is?" Rocky asked, still flabbergasted.

"No, but I do know who your father is." She answered. "He is also Ted's father. Just allow me to explain everything."

Rocky nodded, excited to hear all the answers he sought for his entire life. "I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen. Being an uneducated teenager, many took advantage of me. I was a wreck. A year later, I was a drug addict working in a crappy hotel for minimum wage. That was when I met your father. He was staying in the hotel for the night. I was cleaning his hotel room as he entered it and… um…" Rocky could tell that the memory was unearthing some emotions in his adopted mother as he saw tears streaming down his face.

"I'll get you some tissues." He offered, wanting to take it all in very slowly. As he walked into the bathroom to grab a box of tissues for the women he had thought was his mother almost all his life, he couldn't help but look in the mirror. Rocky's face still made him look like Frankenstein's Monster, but the tattoo on his bicep signified that he was head honcho of a gang and the Furret trailing him made him look like… Just seeing himself in his new powerful state made him feel something. It made him feel significant. Suddenly a light bulb flickered out. Then another vision came crashing down on Rocky.

oOo

_A man in a black suit with a red tie entered the hotel room. He walked over to the windows. After peaking out and looking over the cruddy streets, he closed the curtains. Then walked over to a bed and loosened his tie, took off his belt which contained six Pokeballs, and his shoes, all of which except his shoes he placed on the bedside table. He then dropped flat on his back and let out a sigh. The man was obviously very tired. He appeared to be young though, in his twenties but with a rundown look of a very stressed person._

_Suddenly, he hopped off the bed and reached underneath it. A loud squeal sounded as he dragged a girl out from underneath it by her arm. He pinned her down on the bed by her throat and then from the darkness of his_ _suit he produced a gleaming knife which he held above her._

"_Who sent you?!" He hissed. "Tell me or I will cut your face up!" He threatened. _

"_No- please- I didn't mean to startle you." She choked through his grip. He looked her in the eyes and then he instantly let go. _

"_Oh, I'm so sorry, miss!" He apologized as he helped her up. "I honestly thought that…. Um… well, to put it simple, I've made some not-so-friendly-friends." _

"_No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been hiding in your room. I was in the middle of cleaning it and… I thought that you were-" She was cut of by a loud banging on the door. _

"_Angelica, open up this door you stupid bitch! I know you're hiding in here!" An angry male voice yelled. _

"_-my abusive boyfriend and boss." Angelica finished the sentence and lifted up the sleeve of her blouse to reveal a bruised forearm._

"_I'll take care of him for you." The man answered as he headed to the door. Angelica tried to protest but the man moved with a stealthy, slick speed. He opened up the door. "Hey man, what the hell. I'm trying to sleep in here." He told Angelica's boyfriend. But he peeked over his customer's shoulder to see Angelica making her way to the door. _

"_THERE YOU ARE!" He bellowed angrily as he attempted to push his way to her, through the man. But the shady man in the suit grabbed the abusive boyfriend's arm with one hand and his neck with the other and then slammed him against a wall. _

"_I don't think Angelica wants to see you right now." He growled at the potbellied man. "And furthermore, I don't think she appreciates you hurting her. So you'd better leave before I start hurting you." He threatened._

_Angelica's now ex-boyfriend nodded fearfully and then left silently, closing the door behind him. The shady man sighed as he turned to Angelica. "My name's Sonny Sisco. What's yours, baby?"_

_oOo _

Rocky collapsed to the floor of the bathroom as he waited for the light headed sensation to wear off.

Angelica simply explained to Rocky that she first met his father when he saved her from an abusive relationship. He told her that his name was Sonny Sisco but she knew it was an alias. _No way!_ Rocky thought to himself. "But this was twenty-two years ago. He helped me end my drug addiction, get a decent job, and buy this apartment when this was a brand new apartment building with a decent manager. But he stayed on the move all the time. Definitely involved with criminal activity. But every once in a while when he was in Goldenrod City he would visit me to see how I was doing. I slowly realized that I was just one of his many sweethearts though at that age I didn't give a damn as he was very handsome. When I first met him he was charming, playful, boyish, and all of that. However as the years went on, I noticed that in every visit he made to me he became more stressful, edgy, paranoid, tired, and gloomy. For a few years he just completely stopped visiting me. I thought he was dead. But ten years ago he knocked on the door and handed me a brief case containing twenty thousand Poke Credits and a three year old boy he claimed to be his son. I was furious that he had a child with someone else but I knew that I was just one of many girls he had. I forgave him when he told me that he would be dead very soon. But he was acting like he was fixing himself on doing something very important. In those last hours he spent with me, Ted was conceived. I wanted him to stay with me but he told me that some people wanted him dead and they were catching up. After that, I knew he was already dead. I fell into the same hole I was in when I first met him. I lost all my strength. I eventually ended up with your stepfather since his car garage used to be very successful just like this apartment building. I managed to convince him that Ted was his child. And here I am now."

They were silent for several minutes. Then Rocky got up and walked over to Angelica's husband whom was surrounded by gang members in the other room. "You are to leave Ted and Angelica as Ted is not actually your child. You are never to make contact with them again." Rocky ordered him.

He was about to protest when Rocky said to the gang members, "Watch over Ted and Angelica and if this piece of crap goes near them… well, you know what to do."

As Rocky began to pack clothing and supplies into a backpack, Kaylee approached him. "Here's a Pokeball for your Furret." She chirped.

"Thanks. I need one of these." Rocky replied. "Furret, return." He pressed the button and a red light shot out but rather than dematerializing Furret, it bounced off and flickered out. "What the hell?" Rocky muttered. Then he realized that it must have been some side effect of the experiments on Furret. "That sucks." Kaylee commented.

Rocky opened up a dresser drawer and pulled out the broken Pokeball that contained the Furret when he brought him. Rocky had never seen the model before so it must have been custom made to contain Furret.

"Another mystery." Rocky muttered.

oOo

Rocky stepped out into the cool night. He knew that he needed to call Jackie Johnson but his train of thought was interrupted by a voice. "Doing well for yourself, eh?" It was Classico.

"Classico, whatever they told you about me was a lie." Rocky warned. Classico scoffed. "Right. Well you'd better watch out. Tomorrow I join the Pokemon Police Academy and cadets have the authority to arrest. I'm on to you, now that I know what you really are and how you tricked and manipulated me."

Rocky protested but Classico disappeared back into the darkness of the alley way. "Damn…" Rocky muttered.

oOo

The sun rose as Rocky exited Goldenrod City limits on a cheap beat up, dirt bike the Goldenrod Wildflowers gave him. It had a peeling red paint and released chemically smelling fumes but a ride was a ride. Rocky had a five minute lesson on how to ride it but it's top speed was twenty miles an hour.

Rocky entered Goldenrod National Park. The bike was almost out of gas but Rocky didn't intend to go any further as he was exhausted. The skyline of Goldenrod City was barely visible on the horizon. He made a shelter by throwing an old sheet he packed over a tree branch and with Furret's help he threw forest material on it so it was camouflaged. As he lay down inside the shelter, he finally took in the last weeks events. He had so many questions about the past and yet the future was so unsure. But he knew that he would need lots of money. He recalled his phone conversation with Jackie Johnson. "You'd make a good thief. Team Rocket could use someone like you. But of course you have to prove yourself."

Rocky wondered if he made the right decision, agreeing to work for Team Rocket. _This society is unfair and the rules are only made to keep the poor poor and the rich rich. So anyone who breaks the rules is fine with me_. Rocky decided. _I think Team Rocket will be the start of my career as a Professional Thief. And maybe somewhere along the road to fame and fortune the past will repeat itself and the future will reveal all the answers I seek. _


	17. Part One: Epilogue

**Epilogue**

A man entered the large personal office of his employer. Located at the top of the skyscraper, the office had a breathtaking view of Goldenrod City, from the surrounding skyscrapers to the southern slums, to the northern forest, to the westward bay. Having been in the office many times before, the man was not fazed by the view. He strode up to the large desk. Another man behind the desk turned in his swivel chair to face his employee.

"Good evening Mr. X. Status report?" The executive asked his number one handyman.

"You were right. The Goldenrod Wildflowers failed. I also suspected as much but I never anticipated the full story." Mr. X replied.

The PokeTech executive impulsively straightened the necktie of his flashy business suit before asking in a very calm and controlled but also menacing voice, "And what, Mr. X, is the full story?"

Mr. X took a deep breath, wondering where to start. "After processing several individuals involved, I discovered that, somehow, the target was able to dispatch the three head honchos of the street gang we employed. During this turn of events, the Sentret that's caused such a problem evolved."

Mr. X tried to hide his fascination as he examined his boss's look of surprise. His boss was rarely surprised or taken aback and was almost always in control.

"This is a major turn of events. And the body that was found?" He asked, forcing himself to sound in control.

"It belonged to one of the three alphas of the gang. Following their defeat, a disagreement of some kind occurred between them and the twins kicked the Jones kid off the building. The target and the twin leaders cooked up a nice little story with the hope of throwing us off long enough for them to escape consequence."

The corporate executive raised his eyebrows. "And did they succeed."

"Not even close. I cut through their BS like a hot knife through butter. I've already located Ms. Violet and Ms. Rose, whom apparently thought they could get back in your good books by recapturing the target and turning him over to us. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to them that asking around about 'Rocky' would get my attention. I have a team ready to move in on their position."

The executive nodded, grateful for the good news. "Excellent. Bring the girls in. This whole fiasco has me feeling rather… hands on. I think I'll process them myself. What about the target?"

"Our boy has street smarts. Instead of screwing around like the girls, he got the hell out of town and I'm guessing that he also has the street smarts to lay as low as he can." Mr. X replied.

The executive ran his hands through his grayish black hair, clearly frustrated. "Damn it, the Pokemon that this kid is using is a very valuable subject in our ongoing research and plans!"

Mr. X cautiously replied, "Well, if it's some consolation, I've compiled all the information I could find on the kid. You won't believe some of what I found." He handed his boss a folder.

"I'm growing aggravated with all these surprises." He took the folder from his henchman and opened it up. After looking through a few of the papers, his jaw dropped in shock. "I-Is this accurate?" He asked Mr. X, incredulously.

"Yeah, it's true. I had to dig deep to find it, deeper than I should have for some kid. But from the start of this mess, I got the feeling that there is more to this kid than meets the eye and my curiosity got the better of me. Now we know that he's more than some slum dog."

The executive was silent for a moment, recovering from the shock of the discovery. "Does the boy know all of this?" He finally asked.

"I seriously doubt it." Mr. X replied. His boss was silent for a little while longer before giving more orders.

"I want you to call off the search for this young man. As of now, he is no longer a target of PokeTech; he is a test subject. Both Rocky and that Pokemon have certain potential. But together, they have extraordinary potential that I have every intention of using."

"Do you still want me to find the kid to keep tabs on him." Mr. X asked.

"No. This is too big to be a coincidence. Something like this is fate; this boy of all people entering our playing field… If there's one thing I've learned in my years, it's that sometimes you shouldn't mess with fate."

Mr. X raised his eyebrow; his boss was rarely sentimental. "Well, you have your orders." The executive said. Mr. X gave a slight bow and then exited the office.

The now excited man turned in his chair to gaze out upon the city, the portfolio of information about Rocky in his hands. He gazed down at a photo of Rocky. "I expect that in the near future your name will be known by all within the shadows. And when I hear of your reputation, I might even tell you the truth about who you are and help you fulfill you role in the future of the world."

**END OF ROCKY SAGA: PART ONE**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	18. Part Two: Prologue

**Rocky Saga: Part Two  
**

**Prologue**

Classico straightened the collar to his uniform as he lined up alongside his fellow cadets in the courtyard of the International Pokemon Police Headquarters, where the Academy was also stationed. He had been at the Academy for two months, and he was loving it. He was in his natural environment.

Unlike most other cadets, Classico was already accomplished in law enforcement upon entry, having directed to police to the culprits behind the kidnapping of a Charmeleon and several young Charmander. As a reward and show of support for law enforcement agencies, the president of the Rare Pokemon Exhibit had granted Classico ownership of the Charmander he had rescued from the Goldenrod Wildflowers.

"Cadets." Greeted a police lieutenant as he strolled out into the concrete yard. Classico came to attention like all the other trainees. Lieutenant Tack was one of the most fearsome and intimidating figures in the Academy, and he was in charge training Classico's division.

"Some of you look tired." Observed the disciplinarian. "Are these early mornings too tough for you Clefairies?" He taunted.

"NO SIR!" Classico chanted in unison with the rest his division. Classico was accustomed to waking before the sun. The clear, pale, blue skies and the pink horizon indicated that it would be another brutally hot day of exhausting training sessions. But Classico knew that it would be all necessary when he finally gets out on the street and does some good.

As Lieutenant Tack continued to bark harsh comments at the cadets, Classico's thoughts wandered to Rocky. Classico couldn't wait until his rudimentary police training was complete so he can stand up against people like Rocky; people that seem to believe that they're exempt from the rules. After being seemingly hoodwinked and played by an archetypal criminal personality, Classico desperately wanted to make up for his foolishness.

"Do any of you honestly think criminals and scum will be in any way intimidated by you bunch of losers?! Do any of you feel like you would stand a chance in the real world?! Do you babies think this is a game?! Huh?! Is this cops and robbers?!" Lieutenant Tack yelled at them.

"NO SIR!" The entire division of cadets replied.

"Really? Then all of you start running laps around the courtyard until I'm convinced that you're taking this seriously. This might take a while."

Classico broke into a jog, his thoughts still on Rocky. As he ran along the edge of the fence, he stared out into the trees of Goldenrod National Forest, yearning to return to the city and prove his competence. Since his last threatening message to Rocky, Classico had kept an ear out for any news about the delinquent. No arrest , no body identified, and not so much as a sighting. Furthermore, no warrant had been made for Rocky's arrest despite his connection and possible involvement with a number of crimes including the Pokemon Center break-in, the Rare Pokemon Exhibit robbery, the attacks on two police officers, the episode at the high school, and the murder of Arby Jones. Despite everything, Rocky's name had stayed completely off all official records.

Classico figured that it was logical that somebody killed Rocky and kept it real quiet. After all, Rocky crossed a lot of powerful people in the week after he received the Sentret. But somehow, in his gut, Classico knew that Rocky was still out there, feeling pretty smug about duping Classico several times without him realizing. The thought of Rocky out in the world advancing his career as a petty criminal made rage and anger build up inside Classico, causing him to run faster, passing may of his fellow cadets. As he continued his sprint, Classico's lung began to burn. Refusing to slow down, Classico stared into the rising sun. "You're out there somewhere, Rocky; and I'm going to find you."


	19. Chapter 1: Into the Underworld

**Chapter One: Into the Underworld**

Rocky exited the thick brush and was blinded by the sunrise. After his eyes adapted, he stared at Violet City; it was vastly smaller than Goldenrod City, hidden in the mountainous landscape of the Johto Region. But the same economic and social blight in Goldenrod was also present in Violet City. From the mountainside where Rocky camped, he could see that the outskirts of Violet were lined with derelict neighborhoods and decrepit trailer parks.

In a quick conversation with Jackie Johnson on the outskirts of Goldenrod City two months ago, he was instructed to travel through the wilderness to Violet City. At first Rocky thought he should head for Ecruteak City as it was much closer but Jackie made a snide comment regarding Rocky's "street skill" and told him that Ecruteak City was no place for a rookie to begin and he should head for Violet. Despite being the official leader of the most powerful street gang in Goldenrod City if not the Johto Region, Rocky was by street standards, still considered a rookie. Though Rocky requested that a lid be kept on his leadership of the Goldenrod Wildflowers in order to not attract any more attention to himself since he was supposed to be dead.

For a short time after Rocky's grand rooftop victory over Arby and the twins, Rocky believed that his Furret was a truly powerful Pokemon and that he was naturally skilled trainer. But his ego soon shrunk as he came to the conclusion that he only won the battle due to his own element of surprise and his opponents' underestimation of himself and Furret. They believed that his Pokemon was some fragile test-tube abomination and were attempting to capture him without causing serious injury. Had Violet, Rose, and Arby been battling Rocky as an equal, he and his Furret wouldn't have stood a chance.

After evolving, Rocky's Furret had become much more stable. The mind-melding episodes he had experienced with his Pokemon as a Sentret had ceased upon evolution. Though it developed unusually long claws, had a much more reddish tint in his fur, and still remained incompatible with every Pokeball Rocky tried, Furret for the most part came across as an average Pokemon.

"671 19th street." Rocky reminded himself of the address which Jackie instructed him to travel to upon arriving in Violet City. He quickly rolled up the tarp which made a makeshift tent by being thrown over a low tree branch, and then stuffed it in his backpack.

Two months ago, when he ventured into the forest, the young Spearow and Growlithe continued to hunt him, eager beyond reason to prove themselves to their flock and master. When they attacked Rocky and his Furret at the same time, Furret was unable to take both of them at once, so he and Rocky turned the Growlithe and Spearow on each other, then defeated and caught both of them with some Pokeballs Rocky had bought from a hiker, bringing Rocky's arsenal of Pokemon up to three.

Upon packing up his camp, Rocky hopped onto his beat up old dirt bike, Furret on shoulder. Since he used to occasionally work in his stepfather's auto shop, Rocky knew a thing or two about mechanics, though he did not have the resources to tune up the bike. The thing was barely running, but it continued to get the job done. "Good bye savage forest, hello urban decay." Rocky muttered to himself as he cruised out of the mountains. The dirt path connected with a main road leading into the city.

After his motorbike puttered through the vacant lots and broken homes, Rocky entered the downtown area. The shop keepers were just starting to stir and prepare to open for the day.

Rocky felt nervous as it was his return to civilization after two months of being supposedly dead. He didn't know if anyone was looking for him. As he turned on 19th street, a groove in the city lined with local businesses, with half the commercial space vacant, he spotted the 671 address. It was grungy looking diner. The front window, which didn't look to have been cleaned since the diner was opened, said, _'Merucci's Diner'._

Rocky locked up his ailing motorcycle in the alleyway on the side of the diner, which was littered with trash bags, dumpsters, and sleeping hobos. "Guard my bike for me." Rocky told his Furret, whom climbed onto a fire escape to watch over the vehicle.

There were few others in the diner. A couple blue-collar looking guys sipping coffee and crunching on toast before heading off to work, a pair of stoners sat in a booth at the back muttering rapidly in hushed voices, a bleary-eyed waitress refilling mugs, and a kid that looked only slightly older than Rocky scribbling song lyrics on a napkin, guitar case at his feet.

Panic began rising in Rocky. The place looked like an average inner-city diner. _Why would Jackie send me here?_ Rocky wished he was able to contact Jackie for more specific details, but Jackie was very careful about what he said over the phone.

_Act casual. Get it together!_ Rocky told himself. He took a seat in an empty booth. After another minute of surveying the dingy diner, the middle-aged waitress approached him. "What can I get you, sonny?"

"Uh… I'll take a cup of coffee." Rocky said, trying to sound calm.

"I'll have that for you in just a minute, hun." The waitress replied as she walked away.

Rocky continued to observe the diner, for he saw no reason why Jackie would have sent him there. "Damn, can't it ever go simple." He muttered to himself.

The waitress returned to his table with a mug of coffee on a small plate. "Thanks." Rocky said. She nodded and strode off to attend other customers. Rocky sighed as he picked up the hot mug and started to bring it to his lips. But he stopped as he noticed a small scrap of paper on the saucer where the coffee mug had been. After placing the mug on the table, he picked up the paper and unfolded it.

_Utility closet in bathroom. Now. _A messy scrawl ordered. Assuming they were directions, Rocky stood up, slowly walked across the diner. Not even the waitress whom planted the instructions took notice of him. He passed the door to the kitchen as he crept down the dingy hallway and then found the bathroom. It occurred to Rocky how risky it was to follow a strangers' instructions into a bathroom. But he knew that he didn't have much of a choice. The weight of two Pokeballs on Rocky's belt reminded him that he wasn't some puny kid anymore; with that assurance, he opened the door. There was no one else in the restroom. He cautiously approached the metal door past the sink, urinal, and bathroom stall.

_Don't be locked._ Rocky thought to himself as he put a hand on the handle. He turned it and to his relief, the door to the utility closet was open. The closet had a grime-coated tile floor and was filled with cleaning chemicals, mops, and toilet plungers. On the brick wall, there was a breaker box and some knobs to the plumbing system.

Rocky then noticed another sheet of paper taped next to the breaker box. _Pull the lever, _it said. Shrugging, Rocky pulled the red lever that should have been a power switch. The power did not go off. Instead the wall to Rocky's left slid into the ceiling revealing a staircase descending into a dark basement.

Now very nervous, Rocky began to slowly creep down the stairs. He felt even more vulnerable without his Furret, despite his two other Pokemon. It was pitch black by the time Rocky reached the bottom of the staircase. A scraping noise behind Rocky made him jump. Panic pulsed through him as he turned to see that the source of the noise was the wall closing again, preventing an escape and blocking off what little light Rocky had.

"Uh… Hello, anyone down here?" Rocky asked. Suddenly, the room was filled with bright lights and Rocky was blinded. A very threatening hissing noise told Rocky that he wasn't alone. His eyes quickly adapted to the light and he realized he was looking at a purple Ekans lunging at him, jaws open and fangs glistening.

Rocky instinctively dived out of the way and the purple body grazed him, knocking him to the ground. The poisonous Pokemon easily turned around with a liquid grace, eager to attack again.

Rocky snatched a Pokeball from his belt. "Go Growlithe." The fire Pokemon materialized from the Pokeball just as the Ekans lunged at Rocky again. Instead it crashed into the Growlithe, trapping Rocky's Pokemon with its Wrap attack.

"Bite the sucker!" Rocky ordered. Growlithe sunk his canines into the Ekans causing it to loosen it's grip on Rocky's Pokemon. "Now give it your Ember!"

Growlithe spat a bolt of fire at the Ekans just as it went in for another strike. As the flame hit the snake's face, it hissed loudly as it writhed in burning pain. Rocky's Growlithe let out a triumphant roar causing the Ekans to slither back to whatever corner it came from.

As Rocky caught his breath, an applauding broke out in the room. Rocky saw that there were several people in the secret basement. The basement was an open room with lots of space but also dank with no sunlight. It seemed to be a living quarters with bunk beds, a messy kitchen area, some moth-eaten sofas, and an old TV. But the place also seemed to be a headquarters with some communication hardware, bulletin boards, and a large table covered in papers.

Rocky could only guess that the shady assortment of people in the basement were Team Rocket. One of them, an unshaven guy dressed like a used-car dealer, stepped forward. "Nice job kid. Sorry about all the precautions. Team Rocket protocol dictates a very strict standard for base security, hence the instructions under a cup of coffee and the secret entrance."

"Well it's good to know that Team Rocket is very serious when it comes to the protection of its bachelor pads." Rocky replied dryly as he looked around. "Was that Ekans also a security feature?" He asked, annoyed.

"Not really. You might think of it as a test to see if you have the nerves to work for us, but the truth is the Ekans is for entertainment; we like setting it on the rookies." The man replied.

Rocky glared for a moment, but the man broke the uneasy silence by holding out his hand. "Anyway, I'm Jerry Merucci. Welcome to the Violet City Team Rocket HQ."

Rocky gave a firm handshake and then returned his Growlithe, deciding it was safe. Jerry turned from Rocky and walked over to the table.

"Coffee?" Jerry offered.

"No thanks." Rocky said coldly, still not trusting anyone in the basement.

"Right." Jerry muttered as he fixed a cup for himself. After taking a sip, he said to Rocky, "So as I understand it, you're here to do a little breaking-n-entering on the behalf of Team Rocket?"

Rocky opened his mouth to reply but before he could say anything, Jerry continued. "Jackie Johnson told me you're an absolute natural."

"Oh, yeah, well…" Rocky was unable to suppress an involuntary grin, but shrugged, trying to be modest. But once again, Jackie continued without giving Rocky a chance to reply.

"He also told me that you rely heavily on luck and circumstance and most of the time you have absolutely no idea what the hell you're doing." Jerry added, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, well…" Rocky tried for a good retort but ended up stuttering to combat the harsh criticism because he knew that it was true. "That's just, like… y'know, Jackie's opinion."

"Just keep telling yourself that, kid." Jerry scoffed. He put down his mug of coffee and picked up a piece of paper. "Let's get down to business now that everyone is here."

"Whose everyone?" Rocky asked. Several rough looking guys stepped forward.

Jerry ignored Rocky and went on with his commanding. "This little artifact is your target." He said, addressing the other slick characters that surrounded Rocky. Jerry handed out a picture of a golden statue of a Bellsprout to the gang.

"It is located within the Sprout Tower, in the northern outskirts of the city. Security is high, room for mistakes is nonexistent." Jerry continued to brief.

Rocky gulped, wondering what he got himself into. "All six of you will have very specific jobs. If everybody does their job right, this should go smoothly. Any questions before I continue?"

Rocky nervously raised his hand. "What's up?" Jerry asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Um… just out of curiosity, when will we be carrying out this heist?" Rocky asked, trying to sound confident.

A couple of the other thieves snickered or rolled their eyes. Jerry sighed as if Rocky had failed to meet certain expectations. Coldly, he replied, "Tonight."


End file.
